"Earthquake does not kill people it is the structure that does": NCS Director on Nepal quake
Nov 04, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 4 : After a massive 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal, claimed 132 lives and injured several others, National Center for Seismology (NCS) Director Dr OP Mishra said that two important factors for the severity of the occurrence in the Himalayan region were the time and structure.
The NCS Director also said that it is not the earthquake that kills people, but the kind of structure in the region.
"The intensity in Nepal was very strong, but when it came to Delhi it was reduced. Intensity is the degree of sitting, but magnitude 6.4 is the content of energy. Earthquake does not kill people it is the structure that kills people," Mishra told ANI.
"The most disastrous occurrence of the earthquake is midnight. The severity of this earthquake in Nepal is because of the time and also the vulnerability of the structures," he added.
Mishra further informed that people residing in the vicinity of the Himalayas or rivers must be alert and should have earthquake-resistant structures.
"We have to be cautious that our structures must not be damaged due to earthquakes, especially if we live in the vicinity of the Himalayas or the vicinity of rivers. Therefore we should have earthquake-resilient structures," Mishra told ANI.
Following the earthquake of 6.4 magnitude, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' arrived in Jajarkot to meet the affected people.
Officials have been asked to deploy ambulances near the helipad of Nepalgunj Airport and military barracks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives and damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal. PM Modi offered support to Nepal and expressed India's willingness to extend all possible assistance.
Taking to X, the Nepal Prime Minister's Office stated, "Honorable Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" has expressed his deep sorrow over the human and material damage caused by the earthquake at Ramidanda in Jajarkot at 11:47 on Friday night and has mobilized all 3 security agencies for the immediate rescue and relief of the injured."
According to the National Centre for Seismology, the magnitude of the earthquake on the Richter Scale was recorded at 6.4 and the epicentre of the quake was in Nepal at a depth of 10 km.
The tremors of the earthquake were also felt in several districts of North India including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
