Western Nepal hit by magnitude 5.6 earthquake killing at least six people, officials say - CNN

CNN  — 

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake deed occidental Nepal connected Wednesday greeting section time, sidesplitting astatine slightest six people, according to section officials.

The epicenter of the quake was successful Seti Zone, astatine a extent of 15.7 kilometers (9.7 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was 21 kilometers eastbound of Dipayal, a municipality of Nepal’s acold occidental Doti district, the USGS said.

At slightest six people person died and 5 are injured successful the Purbichauki agrarian municipality of Doti district, constabulary lawman superintendent Bhola Bhatta told CNN.

Three houses were wholly destroyed successful the earthquake, helium said, adding that a hunt and rescue cognition was underway.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed condolences Wednesday connected Twitter to the families of those killed.

“I person instructed the applicable agencies to put contiguous and due attraction of the injured and the victims successful the alleviation and rescue (efforts) successful the affected areas,” helium wrote.

Tremors were felt arsenic acold arsenic the Indian superior New Delhi, and lasted for astir 10 seconds.

Authorities are not expecting ample numbers of casualties arsenic the earthquake’s epicenter appeared to beryllium successful the sparsely populated country astir Khaptad National Park, Bhatta said.

In 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Nepal, sidesplitting astir 9,000 people and flattening homes and buildings.

The landlocked state is wherever the tectonic plates of India and Eurasia collide, creating the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau, and making Nepal susceptible to earthquakes.