May
2015
– NEPAL
– A
major 7.3magnitude
earthquake has hit Nepal tonight, less than three weeks after a
devastating quake left thousands dead and buildings ruined. The quake
was originally designated as a 7.4 event, but it was later downgraded
to a 7.3 magnitude quake by the USGS. Several buildings collapsed in
the isolated town of Chautara, with at least four people killed,
according to Paul Dillon, a spokesman with the International
Organization for Migration. A rescue team from the agency has begun
searching through the wreckage of the little town, he said. Chautara
has become a hub for humanitarian aid in the wake of a major April 25
quake that killed more than 8,150 people and injured more than 17,860
as it flattened mountain villages and destroyed buildings. Tuesday’s
quake was deeper, however, coming from a depth of 18.5 kilometers
(11.5 miles) versus the April 25th quake that hit 15 kilometers (9.3
miles).
More
shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage at the surface. It was
followed closely by at least five aftershocks measuring from
magnitude 5.6 to magnitude 6.3. The international airport in
Kathmandu, which has become a transport hub for international aid,
was closed temporarily, while traffic snarled in the streets of
Kathmandu. “The shaking seemed to go on and on,” said Rose Foley,
a UNICEF official based in Kathmandu. “It felt like being on a boat
in rough seas.”
Aid
agencies were still struggling Tuesday afternoon to get reports from
outside of the capital. “We’re thinking about children across the
country, and who are already suffering. This could make them even
more vulnerable,” Ms Foley said. In the capital of Kathmandu, the
quake sent people rushing outside of their homes. The tremors in
Kathmandu lasted close to a minute according to an AFP correspondent
in the city, with the ground swaying. Sirens could be heard soon
afterwards and people were seen running screaming onto the streets of
Kathmandu and nearby cities, while telephone connections were down.
“Looks
like Nepal will be destroyed completely this time,” one resident
shouted, while others were putting up tents in open spaces that they
had only recently taken down. At the Norvic Hospital in Kathmandu,
patients and doctors rushed to the parking lot. “I thought I was
going to die this time,” said Sulav Singh, who rushed with his
daughter into the street in the suburban neighborhood of Thapathali.
“Things were just getting back to normal, and we get this one.”
Police gave no immediate estimates of damage. Indian Embassy
spokesman Abhay Kumar said some buildings in Kathmandu collapsed, but
he gave no further details about how many or where they were. Experts
say the April 25 quake caused extensive structural damage even in
buildings that did not topple, and that many could be in danger of
future collapse. –NZ
Herald
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