Twenty-two dead after Nepal struck by 6.4 quake

KATHMANDU, Nepal - At least 22 people were killed and dozens injured after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck western Nepal on Friday, with witnesses saying houses in the area collapsed and buildings in New Delhi, India, shook.

We have not been able to establish any contact at the epicenter in Jajarkot, local official Harish Chandra Sharma said, adding that there are reports of 17 deaths just in the district.

At least 20 people were rushed to hospital with injuries, Jajarkot district official Suresh Sunar told Reuters by phone.

"I am out in the open myself. We are collecting details but due to cold and night it is difficult to get information from remote areas," he told Reuters.

Nepal's National Seismological Centre said the quake occurred at 11:47 p.m. (1802 GMT) in Jajarkot district of Karnali province. Jajarkot is about 500 km (310 miles) west of the capital Kathmandu.

"We have confirmed reports that five people of a family have died in Aathbiskot village. There are reports of more deaths. We cannot confirm that," Namaraj Bhattarai, a police official in neighboring Rukum West district told Reuters, adding that the police was on the way to the site.

Local media footage showed crumbled facades of multi-storied brick houses.

Tremors were felt in neighbouring districts and as far away as Kathmandu, residents said.

"Houses have collapsed. People rushed out of their homes. I am out in the crowd of terrified residents. We are trying to find details of damages," police official Santosh Rokka told Reuters by phone.

The earthquake shook buildings as far as New Delhi, about 600 km (375 miles) away, according to Reuters witnesses. Videos on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showed people running into the street as some buildings were evacuated.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) pegged the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.2 and depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). — Reuters