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Three weeks ago Nepal was hit by a devastating earthquake and more than 8,000 people died buried under collapsed buildings.
Today, another earthquake struck Nepal killing dozens and injuring thousands of people.
According to surviving residents of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, the new earthquake, which was felt as far as New Delhi, violently shook and collapsed many buildings of the city.
Officials from the United States Geological Survey said that the quake had a magnitude of 7.3 and its epicenter was at approximately 50 miles east of Kathmandu, close to Nepal’s border with China.
The previous devastating earthquake that took place on April 25 had a magnitude of 7.8 and its epicenter was west of Kathmandu.
Jamie McGoldrick, who works for the United Nations as Nepal’s resident coordinator, said that the new earthquake destroyed many buildings and left casualties, although the exact numbers are not known yet.
According to McGoldrick, there are still several international rescue teams, including Indian and American, who are still in Kathmandu searching for survivors of the previous quake. These teams will probably help in looking for survivors of today’s earthquake.
According to representatives of Nepal’s Emergency Operation Center, 42 people died and more than 1,117 were reported injured until now.
Paul Dillon, of the International Organization for Migration said that four people were killed in the town of Chautara, east of Kathmandu.
Mr. Dillon added that numerous buildings collapsed and local and international rescue crews are digging through the rubble hoping to find surviving victims.
Bharat Shrestha, a member of the rescue teams said that the concrete buildings in Chautara have collapsed and the main road that leads to Chautara is now blocked by debris completely.
Krishna Prasad Gaiwali, chief district officer of Sindhupalchowk said that his district was hugely damaged by the new earthquake.
Since the devastating earthquake that took place on April 25, many people living in Nepal have lived with the fear that a new quake might hit again, mostly because most of the buildings that didn’t collapsed were left cracked and not stable.
According to an examination by an American structural engineer, almost one third of the buildings damaged by the first earthquake need to be completely demolished because they are not safe.
Despite the engineer’s warning, many Nepalese families have moved back into their apartments, after they lived in tents for more than a week after the April quake.
Image Source: nydailynews
