20 houses damaged in 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Nepal
Kathmandu (PTI): A powerful earthquake of 6.1 magnitude rocked Nepal's capital Kathmandu and damaged 20 houses on Sunday, spreading panic among people and bringing back the painful memories of 2015 when a devastating quake killed about 9,000 people.
According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with its epicentre in Dhading district was recorded at 7:39 a.m.
The tremor was also felt in other districts of Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.
Although no causality was reported, there were landslides in various parts of the district, according to media reports.
Twenty houses were damaged and 75 more have developed cracks at Kumaltari, Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality of Dhading due to the earthquake, the reports said.
Dhading was hit by another three tremors of over 4 in magnitude on Sunday afternoon.
According to the National Earthquake Monitoring Centre, earthquakes measuring 5.1, 5 and 4.1 magnitudes were recorded with their epicentre in Dhading district.
Former ward president Krishna Prasad Kapri said that the details of the damage caused by the earthquake are continuing.
Rajesh Adhikari, a local resident, said that due to the frequent aftershocks of above 4 in magnitude, people stayed outside their houses.
Information Officer of the District Police Office and Deputy Superintendent of Police Santulal Prasad Jaiswar said detailed information on the damaged houses is being collected.
Earlier, an aftershock measuring 4.3 occurred at 8.08 am followed by another of 4.3 in magnitude at 8.28 am and 4.1 at 8.59 am, according to Earthquake Measurement Centre.
The quake and continuous tremors triggered panic among people.
Earthquakes are common in Nepal which is situated on the ridge where the Tibetan and Indian tectonic plates meet and advance two metres closer to one another every century which results in earthquakes.
On October 16, Nepal's Sudurpaschim province was hit by a 4.8-magnitude earthquake.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks killed around 9,000 and injured nearly 22,000 people in Nepal in 2015. A total of 3.5 million people were rendered homeless.
As the government's post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) report noted, Nepal is the 11th most earthquake-prone country in the world.
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Fake, completely fabricated: MEA on report claiming 'secret memo' targeting Sikh separatists
New Delhi, Dec 11: India has described as "fake" and "completely fabricated" a media report claiming that a "secret memo" was issued by New Delhi in April to take "concrete" measures against certain Sikh separatists, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Sunday that the report is part of a "sustained disinformation campaign" against India and the outlet that published it is known for propagating "fake narratives" peddled by Pakistani intelligence.
The report was published by online American media outlet "The Intercept".
"We strongly assert that such reports are fake and completely fabricated. There is no such memo," Bagchi said.
"This is part of a sustained disinformation campaign against India. The outlet in question is known for propagating fake narratives peddled by Pakistani intelligence. The posts of the authors confirm this linkage," he added.
"Those who amplify such fake news do so only at the cost of their own credibility," Bagchi said, responding to media queries on the report.
In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau levelled the allegation of "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Nijjar on Canadian soil on June 18.
India strongly dismissed the charges, terming them "absurd".
"The Intercept", in its report, claimed that the Indian government issued instructions on a "crackdown scheme" against certain Sikh entities in western countries.
It further claimed that the secret memorandum issued by the MEA in April lists several "Sikh dissidents under investigation by India's intelligence agencies, including the Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar".
