7.9-magnitude quake hits Nepal kills almost 450

A strong earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale has hit an area near Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, causing extensive damage to buildings and leaving hundreds of people dead, officials say.

Nepal’s Information Minister Minendra Rijal said the quake took place before noon local time (0615 GMT) on Saturday with its epicenter registered 80 kilometers (49 miles) northwest of the capital.

The quake, which measured at a depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles), toppled walls and caused buildings to collapse.

The Nepalese police officials say that at least 449 people have so far been reported killed in earthquake, and the death toll could rise much higher.

"The death toll based on information received on our network across the country has reached 449," national police spokesman Kamal Singh Bam told AFP, adding, "Deaths have been reported from all regions except the far west. All our security personnel have been deployed to rescue and assist those in need."

According to reports, dozens of people have been also taken to the main hospital in central Kathmandu with injuries.

The tremor lasted for nearly a minute and the aftershocks were felt over the region, including India’s entire northern parts and in the capital of New Delhi as well as in Bangladesh.

“It was very scary. The earth was moving ... I am waiting for treatment but the (hospital) staff is overwhelmed,” said Pushpa Das, a laborer who was injured in the strong quake.

Prachanda Sual, a Kathmandu resident, also said several buildings, including centuries-old temples and towers, have been ruined in the center of the capital.

The Kathmandu Valley, which includes the capital, is a densely populated region with nearly 2.5 million residents. Many of the buildings in the area are of poor quality.

The Valley lies on a major fault line. An 8.4-magnitude earthquake rocked the region in 1934, killing some 8,500 people and destroying more than 80,000 buildings, according to data by the United Nations.

CAH/MKA/HRB

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