An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck eastern Nepal near the Indian border on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2023. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, and was felt in the Indian capital of New Delhi.
Tremors were also felt in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, as well as in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of West Bengal in India.
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs has reported at least 128 deaths from the quake, with a many more people injured.
The ministry also reported that a number of buildings had been damaged in the quake, including some in Kathmandu and the town of Biratnagar in Morang District.
The earthquake is the latest in a series of tremors to hit Nepal in recent months. In April, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and destroyed or damaged more than 800,000 buildings.
This was followed by multiple aftershocks in the Nepal-India border region in May, and then again in August.
The November 3rd quake is the strongest to hit the region since the April 2015 earthquake, and is likely to cause further damage to an already weakened infrastructure.
The country is still dealing with the aftermath of the April quake, which caused significant damage to the country’s roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.
The epicenter of the November 3rd quake was located in Taplejung district in the eastern part of Nepal. The area is known for its mountainous terrain and is home to the popular Kanchenjunga national park.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has rated the quake as having a “high” chance of causing significant damage, due to its shallow depth and location near a populated area.
The USGS also reported that the quake could have caused landslides, due to the steep terrain in the area.
The government of Nepal has declared a state of emergency in the region, and is working to assess the extent of the damage caused by the quake. The Indian government has also sent a team of experts to Nepal to assist with relief efforts.