New Delhi:
The magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck Nepal this afternoon has left a trail of massive destruction, bringing back horrific flashbacks of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the capital Kathmandu in 2015.
Several buildings in Bajhang district, western Nepal, near Uttarakhand, have suffered extensive damage. Houses have collapsed, parts of buildings have crumbled and more dangerous cracks have appeared due to the impact of the earthquake that struck just five kilometers deep. Huge cracks exposed the structural frames of several buildings.
Two consecutive earthquakes, magnitudes 5.3 and 6.3, struck western Nepal this afternoon. There have been no reports of casualties so far.
According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, the first earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 was recorded at 2.40 pm, followed by another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 at 3.06 pm in Bajhang district.
The tremors due to the earthquakes were felt not only in the country but also in Delhi and its adjoining areas. People were seen running from buildings in the national capital Gurgaon and in Noida.
Nepal is located in one of the most active tectonic zones in the world, making it extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. In 2015, a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring another 22,000. More than 800,000 homes and school buildings were damaged.