MORE DETAILS OF QUAKE DAMAGE

DETAILS OF QUAKE DAMAGE

Kathmandu, 19 Sept.: The 6.8-magnitude quake that hit almost all parts of the country was the biggest since 1934, claims National Seismological Centre. The epicentre of the quake was along the Sikkim-Nepal border, about some 60 km off Sikkim’s capital Gangtok, The Himalayan Times reports.

Traffic in Kathmandu came to a standstill as thousands of terrified residents poured on to the streets. Mobile networks were jammed as anxious people frantically tried to call their loved ones.

“The quake shook the Valley and most parts of the country for one minute,” said Som Nath Sapkota, senior seismologist at National Seismological Centre at Lainchaur. NSC also informed that 14 aftershocks of small magnitude were recorded within one hour of the quake.

Past quakes

• 1934: 8.4-magnitude — Highest casualties for any recorded earthquake in the history of Nepal. A total of 8,519 people lost lives, 1,26,355 houses damaged and 80,893 buildings destroyed

• 1980: 6.5-magnitude — Far western region hit – Baitadi, Bajhang, Darchula — 125 dead, 248 seriously injured, 11,604 buildings destroyed

• 1988 : 6.7-magnitude — epicentre in Udayapur, Eastern Development Region affected, 721 deaths, 64,174 private
Two persons were killed and scores injured in the eastern Nepal when an earthquake measuring 6.8 magnitude rocked several districts at around 6.23 pm, The Himalayan Times reports from Itahari.

Police said Kamal Pariyar’s sons — Santosh Pariyar (22) and Bimal Pariyar (5) — were killed after their rented house in Dharan collapsed. Kamal — a staffer at Army School in Fusre, Dharan, — and his wife were injured.

Indian Prema Pradha (19) was injured after another house collapsed in Dharan. Police said scores of houses were damaged in Dharan, Itahari and Inaruwa.

Ten persons, including two journalists and a constable, were hurt in Sankhuwasabha. Science building of Sankhuwasabha-based Himalaya Higher Secondary was completely destroyed.

Buildings of Rastriya Banijya Bank, District Development Committee, Red Cross, and Armed Police Force base camp were damaged. Gurans FM’s Jivan Nepal and RSS correspondent Raju Thapa were injured after they jumped out of windows.The quake damaged scores of houses in Terhathum and Panchthar districts.

Death, destruction, darkness

• Two killed, dozens of houses destroyed in Dharan

• More than 10 injured, over 50 houses hit in Sankhuwasabha

• 29 police units of eight eastern districts affected

• More than 100 houses destroyed in Panchthar

• More than 12 houses destroyed in Dhankuta

• Landslip in Taplejung

• 30 houses damaged in Terhathum

• Eight houses destroyed in Solukhumbu

• More than 12 houses damaged in Nuwakot

• Nine houses damaged in Kavre

• Electricity and phone services halted in the east
Death, destruction, darkness

• Two killed, dozens of houses destroyed in Dharan

• More than 10 injured, over 50 houses hit in Sankhuwasabha

• 29 police units of eight eastern districts affected

• More than 100 houses destroyed in Panchthar

• More than 12 houses destroyed in Dhankuta

• Landslip in Taplejung

• 30 houses damaged in Terhathum

• Eight houses destroyed in Solukhumbu

• More than 12 houses damaged in Nuwakot

• Nine houses damaged in Kavre

• Electricity and phone services halted in the east
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