Jajarkot earthquake: Rescue work in final stage

Kathmandu: The government has said that the work of search and rescue of those affected by the Jajarkot earthquake has reached its final stage. All three levels of government are working in coordination to rescue the earthquake survivors in Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim, the two districts largely affected by Friday night’s tremor.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka and Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet arrived in person at the affected Jajarkot to oversee the rescue operation and pledged to provide all required support for the same.

Similarly, the local, province, and central governments are working together to ensure that the affected people are provided with immediate relief including medical treatment and daily essentials. The Karnali provincial government and other provincial governments have also brought and distributed relief materials, while other social organizations are working to help the quake survivors.

The earthquake on Friday night at 11:47 pm hit Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim, with Ramidanda of Jajarkot as the epicenter of the 6.4 Richter scale quake. According to latest update from the police, 157 people have been confirmed dead with around 200 people injured. The earthquake has caused a lot of material damage in Jajarkot headquarters Khalanga.

Although official statistics on the damage is yet to come, there are many houses that have been completely damaged and more partially damaged. The earthquake in Jajarkot caused more damage to traditional houses than modern and concrete houses. Aman Chaudhary of Dang, doing business in Jajarkot, said that most of the houses destroyed due to the earthquake in Jajarkot are old structures made of stone and mud.

Locals said that there was not so much damage to concrete houses built recently. Gopal BK of Bheri Municipality-2 said that houses made of stone and mud were damaged a lot. The houses made of wood and the new concrete houses built in the market place have not been damaged so much. The Jajarkot Palace had also been damaged in the earthquake.

Meanwhile, many earthquake survivors are spending the night under the open sky. With their houses destroyed or not safe to live, they are forced to live under temporary tents. Man Bahadur BK of Bheri Municipality-2 said that he is now living under the open sky with his children after his house was destroyed by the earthquake.

‘I am forced to stay out in the open with small children. The government has arranged tents, but it is very difficult during this cold season,’ he said.

RSS