With casualties rising to dozens and thousands reporting injuries, rescue teams are now being dispatched to affected areas in earthquake-stricken Nepal. The powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake has so far been followed by 16 aftershocks.
The epicenter of the new earthquake was centered 76 km (47 miles) east of the country's capital, in a hilly area that was close to the border with Tibet, according to Reuters. The earthquake also triggered a number of landslides in the Himalayan valleys near Mount Everest.
Most of the reported casualties of the new disaster were residing in the villages and towns east of Kathmandu, which was just beginning to recover from the damage of the deadly April 25 earthquake which left more than 8,000 dead, according to Reuters.
However, the powerful 7.3 magnitude quake was not the only disaster that plagued the people of Nepal. After the main tremors, aftershocks struck the country, further driving the people to panic, according to The Telegraph.
Some of the aftershocks have registered magnitudes of 5.6, 5.5 and 6.2 on the Richter scale. A total of 16 aftershocks have so far been reported, with some affecting countries like Tibet.
He Jumming, Head of the Tibetan Border Patrol Inspection Station Command Center, describes the experience of the people in Zhan. He states that the sky has been full of grey dust from the earthquake, and that locals have suffered from 16 aftershocks, with flying rocks from numerous landslides in the area, according to The Telegraph.
Simon Cox, a news correspondent, described the situation in an interview with BBC News.
"Well you can clearly feel the shock. People immediately rushed away outside and it felt as if it went on for such a long time," he said.
"About 20 minutes ago, the aftershock really panicked people – women, people next to me huddled together, they were crying," he added.
He further stated that most of the people's worries were about the stability of the buildings that were initially thought of as safe. With the amount of aftershocks and the strength of the tremors, he believes that the new quake will "set things back to day one after the first earthquake," according to The Telegraph.
Despite the panic and chaos that the new earthquake has triggered, however, Cox has observed that the response to the disaster has been efficient, with numerous search and rescue teams already being dispatched to aid the people.
