A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck north of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on Friday, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre. The quake’s epicenter was located near Bhairab Kunda in the Sindhupalchok District, close to the Himalayan mountain range bordering Tibet. While the German Research Center for Geosciences recorded the quake at magnitude 5.6 and a depth of 10 kilometers, the US Geological Survey estimated it at magnitude 5.5.
Despite the tremor’s intensity, there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage. Pasang Nurpu Sherpa, chairman of the Bhote Koshi rural municipality, where the epicenter was located, confirmed that no damage had been reported so far. However, the earthquake triggered a landslide at Dugunagadi Bhir, though no homes were affected in the area.
Kiran Thapa, the district governor of Sindhupalchok, shared that one inmate at the district jail sustained a hand injury while attempting to flee during the quake and is currently receiving medical treatment. Additionally, minor cracks were observed in a police post building in Kodari.
Residents described the quake as a jarring experience. Ganesh Nepali, a senior official in Sindhupalchok, recounted how the tremor forcefully woke him and his family, prompting them to rush out of their home. “People have now returned home, and we have not received any reports of damage or injuries so far,” he said.
The region, which lies in a seismically active zone, has experienced devastating earthquakes in the past, including the 2015 disaster that claimed nearly 9,000 lives. However, this latest event appears to have caused minimal disruption, with authorities continuing to monitor the situation closely.
