Nepal continues to be shaken by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock

(Baonghean) - On Sunday, April 26, a day after being devastated by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on April 25, Nepal was once again shaken by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock. The aftershock was also clearly felt in New Delhi, India and in the Himalayas.

According to the USGS, the epicenter of the aftershock occurred at a depth of 10 km in the area northwest of the capital Kathmandu, near the border with China. The epicenter of the April 25 earthquake occurred 80 km northwest of the capital Kathmandu. Scientists explained that because the epicenter of the earthquake was close to the ground, the destructive power of the earthquake was so strong. Returning to the aftershock on April 26, climbers said that the aftershock caused another avalanche at Mount Everest.

Scene after the earthquake in Bhaktapur on April 26. Photo: AP

The aftershocks killed another 700 people and forced people to spend the night on the streets or in tents. Hundreds of buildings were flattened and parts of Kathmandu were without power. Rescue teams continued their search using rudimentary tools like picks and shovels, and even by hand. Aftershocks continued to slow the rescue effort and some feared it would make the situation worse.

Hospitals quickly filled with injured people and communications lines in Nepal were nearly down. After the magnitude 6.7 aftershock passed, doctors decided to evacuate patients to tents set up outside.

Also on Sunday, Nepal police said more than 2,150 people were killed and 5,400 injured across the country. In India, the death toll was more than 50 and on Everest, 17. Countries including China, Tibet and Bangladesh are still counting casualties. Communications were completely cut off in most parts of the country and some mountainous areas of Nepal were inaccessible due to road cuts, said Ram Narayan Pandey of the Nepal Disaster Management Authority.

Several countries, including neighboring India and Pakistan, quickly announced that they would send humanitarian aid or equipment to Nepal to help the victims of the earthquake. The United States is preparing to send a rescue team and France has also expressed its readiness to respond to requests for help from Nepalese authorities.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde April 26)