Nepal Earthquake: Search and Rescue Concludes as Relief Efforts Intensify
Search and rescue operations in Nepal have drawn to a close 36 hours after a powerful earthquake left at least 157 people dead and homes destroyed in a remote northwest region.
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In a remote northwest region of Nepal, search and rescue operations have been officially concluded 36 hours after a devastating earthquake claimed the lives of at least 157 individuals and left countless homes in ruins. Government authorities have redirected their efforts toward delivering relief supplies, food, and shelter to survivors.
The tragic earthquake resulted in a death toll of 105 in the primarily agricultural Jajarkot district, with an additional 52 casualties reported in the neighboring Rukum district. Moreover, 184 people sustained injuries in the disaster. In response, the regional hospital in Nepalgunj made more than 100 beds available, and medical teams were on standby to provide assistance to the injured.
Numerous survivors found themselves exposed to the elements, as their mud houses were reduced to rubble when the 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck late on Friday night at 11:47 pm (18:02 GMT). This northwestern region, inhabited by approximately 190,000 people, suffered significant devastation.
In the village of Nalgad, located in the severely affected Jajarkot district, Mahesh Chanare shared his harrowing experience as he prepared to cremate his father-in-law. He expressed, "The rest of my family is safe, but the houses have buried everything with them. There is hardly anything to eat. No relief materials have reached us. People here desperately need food and tents."
Search and rescue operations have been brought to a close, according to Provincial police spokesperson Gopal Chandra Bhattarai, who mentioned that authorities maintain vigilance due to the area's remoteness and the possibility of isolated areas yet to receive aid. In the words of Harish Chandra Sharma, an official in Jajarkot district, the current focus is on delivering relief to the quake's victims, stating, "It has been a tough night, and we are trying to get relief materials to those affected by the quake. Some have been distributed, but we need to reach all areas."
Following the earthquake, local residents and rescue teams worked tirelessly to extract survivors from the wreckage of collapsed structures, often in the darkness, while others sought safety outside. Security forces were deployed both on foot and via helicopters and small government aircraft capable of navigating the mountainous terrain to aid in search and rescue efforts and transport the injured to hospitals. In certain affected areas, rescue teams cleared landslides triggered by the earthquake to restore road access, as noted by Bhattarai.
The seismic tremors were felt as far away as the capital city of Kathmandu, approximately 400 km (250 miles) from the epicenter, and even reached the Indian capital, New Delhi, situated about 600 km (375 miles) away.
Nepal is located on a major geological fault line where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, giving rise to the Himalayas, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence. In 2015, Nepal experienced two devastating earthquakes that claimed the lives of around 9,000 individuals and reduced entire towns, centuries-old temples, and historical sites to rubble, with over a million homes destroyed.
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