An earthquake in Nepal has killed at least 157 people – with troops and helicopters trying to rescue the injured.
The quake struck the west of the country as many people were asleep on Friday night.
Witnesses said it caused houses to collapse and cut communications to many villages.
The earthquake happened at 11:47pm (6.02pm in the UK) in the Jajarkot district of Karnali province – 310 miles west of the capital Kathmandu.
Nepal’s National Seismological Centre said the magnitude was 6.4, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) put it at 5.6.
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Homes destroyed after deadly quake
“Houses have collapsed. People rushed out of their homes. I am out in the crowd of terrified residents. We are trying to find details of damages,” said a police official.
Rescuers worked overnight to pull injured people from the rubble. However, landslides in some areas blocked roads and made access difficult.
Medical personnel and supplies were being flown in by helicopter – with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal joining one flight.
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Ninety-two people were confirmed dead and 55 injured in Jajarkot, said police spokesman Kuber Kadayat.
He said at least 36 also died and more than 80 were injured in the neighbouring Rukum district.
Witnesses said the tremors were felt as far away as Kathmandu and New Delhi in India.
The quake occurred at a depth of 11.1 miles (17.9km), according to the USGS.
Image:
The earthquake struck western Nepal. Pic: USGS
Earthquakes are common in Nepal – a 7.8-magnitude quake in 2015 killed about 9,000 people and damaged about a million structures.
