Over 100 killed in Nepal earthquake

(Patria) - At least 128 people have been killed in a 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Nepal,
officials said early Saturday morning.

The tremor hit the Himalayan country's far west late on Friday, and was measured by the US Geological Survey at a depth of just 18 kilometers, AFP reported.

Video footage and photos posted on social media show locals digging through rubble in the dark to pull survivors from collapsed houses and buildings.

#NepalEarthquake : Jajarkot show the extent of damage to the region as a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit it last night. #भूकंप #earthquake #earthquakenepal #Delhi #earthquakes #Kathmandu #earthquakedelhi #Nepal #India #DelhiNCR #delhiearthquake #Jajarkot pic.twitter.com/4lBCZb814I

— Gujarati Daily Times (@GujaratiDailyT) November 4, 2023

Nepal lies on a major fault line where the Indian tectonic plate is pushing into the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayas, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence.

The government has deployed security forces to assist in rescue efforts.

The numbers are still unconfirmed, authorities said.

Nearly 9,000 people were killed and over 22,000 injured in 2015 when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, destroying more than half a million homes. The total economic losses from the disaster were estimated at seven billion dollars.