Back-to-back earthquakes rock northwestern Nepal, injuring 17

Two earthquakes rocked northwestern Nepal Tuesday, injuring more than a dozen people, causing a landslide and damaging several homes.

At least 17 people, including 11 women and six men, were injured by the earthquakes, Reuters reported. Bajhang Police Chief Bharat Bahadur Shah announced that one woman is still missing after a landslide occurred in the district.

Two strong earthquakes struck Nepal within half an hour on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.

The tremors had magnitudes of 5.3 followed by 6.3, according to Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center. Both had an epicenter in the Bajhang District of Nepal, which is close to the Nepal-India border. The two quakes struck about 30 minutes apart, according to Reuters.

Shaking was felt as far away as India's capital city of New Delhi, where people fled from buildings. The tremors occurred during the afternoon hours, local time.

The Associated Press said that the quakes triggered a landslide, which buried a major highway in the Bajhang District that is a key thoroughfare to surrounding regions. Aftershocks continued after the initial earthquakes, hindering the cleanup of the landslide.

Back in late April of 2015, a severe earthquake struck central Nepal near the city of Kathmandu, resulting in approximately 9,000 fatalities and thousands of injuries. The initial quake was registered at a magnitude of 7.8 and lasted approximately 20 seconds. Extensive damage occurred across the region, including the destruction of over 600,000 homes and structures in Kathmandu and nearby towns.

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