Powerful earthquake hits western Nepal, six killed; PM Deuba campaigning for election is safe
Kathmandu (PTI): At least six persons were killed when a powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted the remote mountainous region of western Nepal on early Wednesday, close to where Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was campaigning for the upcoming elections.
According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake occurred at 2:12 am with its epicentre at Khaptad National Park in the Doti district of the quake-prone Himalayan nation, damaging scores of houses and sparking panic among the people who were sleeping.
Six persons have been killed and five sustained injuries in the earthquake, Home Ministry spokesperson Phanindra Pokharel told PTI over phone.
According to Nepal Army spokesperson Narayan Silwal three persons were missing and are believed to have been trapped in the housing collapse in Purvichauki. The Nepal Army has started searching for the missing persons, he said.
Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who is also in Western Nepal for an election campaign is safe. He was attending election rallies and meeting people at Dhangadhi district, 160 km South of the epicentre.
Nepal will be going for elections for the federal Parliament as well as the provincial assemblies on November 20.
The tremor was also felt in Dhangadhi though the Prime Minister is safe, according to Pokharel.
Adjustments will be made regarding the election campaign of the Prime Minister in Western Nepal keeping in mind the incident, he added.
Deuba has instructed officials to arrange immediate and proper treatment of injured in the earthquake-affected areas.
"I pay homage to those killed in the Dadeldhura earthquake and my condolences to the bereaved family members," Deuba tweeted.
"I also instruct the concerned authorities to speed up rescue and relief works and treatment of those injured in the incident," he added.
The Nepal Army and the Nepal Police personnel have been mobilised to carry out rescue operations.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhola Bhatta, the acting chief at the District Police Office in Doti, said that all the victims were killed by the debris of the houses damaged during the earthquake.
The identities of the deceased have been established of which two are women, two men, and two minors, Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhola Kumar Bhatta was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times newspaper.
The earthquake sent people in the mountain villages panicking out of their houses and many spent the entire night out in the open, officials said.
Nearly eight houses collapsed in the quake and cracks had developed in most of the houses in the aftermath of the geological event.
Images shared by the Nepal Army showed rescue operations by them to find the victims buried by the earthquake-damaged houses. Videos posted on social media showed villagers moving debris by hand and trying to retrieve their belongings.
Those injured in the earthquake last night are undergoing treatment at the Doti Hospital.
A spokesperson of the Nepali Army Narayan Silwal said that the injured were rescued by a team of security personnel, including the Nepali Army and taken to the Doti Hospital by helicopter.
They were rescued by helicopter from Dhangadhi in Surkhet and Kailali. Along with the rescue, a team has been deployed in the area for those who urgently need food and tents, according to the Army.
The tremors were also felt in neighbouring Dhangadhi and Kailali districts.
The earthquake that was felt mildly in Kathmandu and parts of India has also caused damage to dozens of other houses in the district.
Earlier, a 5.7-magnitude tremor was recorded at 9.07 pm and another 4.1-magnitude tremor at 9.56 pm on Tuesday at the same epicentre, according to the Seismological Centre.
Earthquakes are frequent in mountainous Nepal.
On October 19, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal's capital Kathmandu and adjoining areas, forcing many people to rush out of their homes for safety.
The earthquake was felt in the Kathmandu Valley and neighbouring districts. There was no report of any damage or casualties.
In April 2015, a devastating earthquake of 7.8-magnitude rocked Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and wounding nearly 22,000 others. It also damaged over 800,000 houses and school buildings.
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India, Jamaica agree to boost trade, skilled mobility: Jaishankar
Kingston (PTI): India and Jamaica agreed to further strengthen trade linkages and explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including healthcare workers and teachers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
Addressing a joint press conference here after talks with his Jamaican counterpart Kamina J Smith on Monday, Jaishankar said the discussions were comprehensive, and they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, identifying new avenues to deepen the partnership.
"We signed several important agreements and discussed effective implementations of MOUs which have been recently concluded in the fields of digital transformation, cultural exchange, sports and digital payments to ensure tangible outcomes on the ground," he said.
India recognised Jamaica's growing role as a logistics hub and gateway to the Caribbean for trade and investment, Jaishankar said.
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"We agreed to further strengthen trade, business and investment linkages, explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including nurses, healthcare workers and teachers," he said.
The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in defence and security, healthcare, digitisation, agriculture, education and infrastructure, the minister said.
Highlighting development cooperation as a key pillar of ties, Jaishankar noted the successful completion of the Improving Rural Livelihoods Project in Kitson Town in March 2026, implemented with Indian assistance of USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, benefiting over 200 individuals and impacting thousands more.
He said India is also discussing the feasibility of establishing an artisan empowerment hub in Jamaica and reiterated support for the country's recovery following Hurricane Melissa.
As part of humanitarian assistance, India has supplied relief material, deployed a medical team and is in the process of providing 30 dialysis units. It is also sending 40 fishing boats and 200 GPS units to aid recovery efforts.
The ministers reaffirmed close cooperation in multilateral fora and discussed issues such as reformed multilateralism, climate justice and priorities of the Global South.
India appreciated Jamaica’s support for its candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2028-29.
Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Jaishankar also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, noting the popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Jamaica and the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the country’s development.
He announced a contribution of two million Jamaican dollars towards celebrations marking 181 years of the arrival of Indians in Jamaica on India Heritage Day.
According to the website of the High Commission of India in Kingston, Jamaica has an Indian diaspora of around 70,000 people whose forefathers came mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as indentured labour between 1845 and 1917. Some also came from South India.
The diaspora constitutes around 3 per cent of Jamaica's population and continues to nurture an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history, serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries. May 10 is observed as India Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Later in the day, Jaishankar interacted with Jamaica’s industry and business leaders, underlining the need to deepen economic engagement as countries diversify partnerships globally.
“Emphasised that as we all diversify and seek reliable partners, the imperative to deepen India-Jamaica business ties is that much stronger,” he said in a social media post, noting that the potential for bilateral and regional economic cooperation should be "explored more vigorously".
He also appreciated Industry Minister Aubyn Hill for convening the interaction with business leaders.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
