Even as Nepal was trying to come to terms with the tragedy and devastation that struck 17 days ago, fear and panic gripped the Himalayan nation once again, as a strong earthquake of 7.3 magnitude on Richter scale hit around 83 kms east of Kathmandu and close to Mount Everest on Tuesday, killing 42 and injuring 1,117.
The quake also caused intense tremors and after-shocks in India – across Bihar and Assam in the east, Delhi in north and Rajasthan in the west. According to the US Geological Survey and Indian Meteorology Department, the quake's epicentre was 15 kms deep and 13 after-shocks were recorded in its aftermath including one of 6.2 magnitude.
The last month's quake, that killed 8,000 and destroyed much of Kathmandu's ancient shrines and displaced thousands, was of 7.9 magnitude on Richter scale in north-west of Kathmandu. Tuesday's event too triggered collapse of several structures that were already damaged in the April quake and the capital's airport too was shut down.
Bihar, close to the epicentre, reported 16 casualties while one person was killed in Uttar Pradesh. The tremors also triggered a big landslide in Dhunche, near Mt. Everest.
The Centre, after taking stock of the situation, positioned six Indian Air Force (IAF) Medium Lift Helicopters (MLH) at Kathmandu and two MLHs at Pokhara. The National Disaster Response Force and IAF teams have been kept on standby for immediate movement. The Ministry of Home Affairs also decided to give gratis visa-on-arrival both at the airports and at land points.
Seismologists opined that the ruptures caused by April's quake in the plate boundary seems to have caused Tuesday's event. The rupture was almost 160-180 kms long eastwards and the epicenter of Tuesday's earthquake was east of Kathmandu almost at a similar distance. "The previous earthquake was of great magnitude and triggered adjustments in plates. It caused a rupture in the plate that spread almost 160kms eastwards. From the epicentre, quakes can cause a ruptures up to a distance of even 1,000 kms as was seen during the Sumatra earthquake," said JL Gautam, head (operations), centre for seismology, India Meteorological Department (IMD).
KM Rao, scientist from Institute of Seismological Research, Gandhinagar spoke about the co-relation between Tuesday's quake and the one in April. "The last earthquake has a strong bearing on the current episode as the tectonics in the Himalayan region are prone to disturbance. An earthquake of this magnitude causes serious structural damage in areas located about 300kms from the epicentre," said Rao.
Echoing the thoughts of KM Rao, IMD director general Laxman Singh Rathore said, "There must have been a constant release of energy due to the rupture caused by the previous earthquake. In the process of re-adjustment and adjustment of plates, the energy released results in an earthquake. The after-shocks will continue for a while."
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