Nepal suffered an earthquake of magnitude 6.6 that killed at least six people, destroyed multiple houses, and shook the Indian capital, New Delhi. In addition to the five seriously injured, eight houses collapsed, according to Doti’s deputy superintendent of police, confirming earlier reports from the home ministry. The local media showed images of mud and brick houses destroyed by the earthquake, and rescuers digging through the rubble to look for survivors. Nepali army spokesman said at least two people were missing.
After two major earthquakes hit Nepal in 2015, almost 9,000 people were killed, entire towns were destroyed and centuries-old temples were destroyed, causing a $6 billion economic shock. The Nepali army has dispatched a ground rescue team to the scene, and two helicopters are on standby in Surkhet and Nepalgunj. Nepal’s seismological center put the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.6. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) had pegged the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.6.
It is estimated that the earthquake was centered approximately 158 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Pilibhit, a large city in the neighboring Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, and that it occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to EMSC. In the aftermath of the quake, media reports indicated that tremors were also felt in New Delhi and surrounding areas, some 350 km (220 miles) away from the epicenter.