Kathmandu

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The death toll due to an earthquake in Nepal has climbed to 157, the news agency Reuters reported on Saturday (Nov 4). Rescue workers started digging through the rubble of collapsed houses with their bare hands to search for any survivors. The earthquake struck the Jajarkot region in the west on Friday night with a magnitude of 6.4, Nepal's National Seismological Centre said. 

However, the German Research Centre for Geosciences measured it at 5.7 and the US Geological Survey at 5.6. Officials said that although the quake's magnitude was not severe, the damage and the death toll were high due to the poor quality of construction in the area and because it struck while people slept.

Officials pointed out that rescue work was expected to be slow as emergency teams had to first clear roads blocked by landslides in many places. 

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'Residents too scared to go into cracked houses'

Speaking to Reuters, Jajarkot district official Harish Chandra Sharma that the number of injured could be in the hundreds and deaths could go up as well. Sharma said that many houses collapsed and many others developed cracks. 

Thousands of residents spent the entire night in cold, open grounds because they were too scared to go into the cracked houses as aftershocks struck. "I have myself not been able to go in," he added.

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PM Dahal oversees rescue and relief ops

Earlier on Saturday, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal arrived in Jajarkot with a 16-member army medical team to oversee search, rescue and relief. According to Prime Minister Dahal's office, political parties, social workers and the public were urged to donate funds to help arrange food, water, clothes and tents for the survivors.

The epicentre of the earthquake was in the village of Ramidanda. As per the National Seismological Centre, 175 aftershocks were recorded in ajarkot and six of them were of magnitude 4 or higher.

The tremors were also felt in northern parts of neighbouring India, shaking buildings and forcing people to run into the streets late on Friday night.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and damage in Nepal. "India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to extend all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and we wish the injured a quick recovery," Modi said in a post on X. 

(With inputs from agencies)