4.1 magnitude earthquake hits western Nepal amid flood recovery

A moderate earthquake of 4.1 magnitude struck western Nepal on Wednesday night, with tremors felt in several neighbouring districts, officials said.

According to Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake occurred at 9:37 pm local time, with its epicentre in Budhiganga Municipality-10 of Bajura district in Sudurpaschim Province, around 750 km west of Kathmandu.

The tremor was also felt in Bajhang, Kalikot and Achham districts. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The earthquake comes as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating floods and landslides that struck the country on August 26.

The government this week ended the search-and-rescue operation for victims of the disaster and shifted its focus to rehabilitation and reconstruction.

At least 1,455 bodies have been recovered, while 5,285 people remain missing, according to the latest government figures. Nearly 33,000 people were affected and around 7,500 homes were damaged or destroyed. The government has estimated that reconstruction and recovery will cost around $4.77 billion.

The floods caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, farmland and other infrastructure, with authorities facing the difficult task of restoring connectivity in remote areas. UNDP has estimated that around 70 km of roads and 80 bridges were damaged, while 13 hydropower projects and more than 150 km of telecommunications fibre were affected.

Bajura itself has been dealing with flood- and landslide-related damage. Earlier this month, relief was provided to 158 families in the district whose homes, farmland and livelihoods were affected by floods and landslides during the monsoon.

Nepal is located in one of the world’s most seismically active regions because of the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Himalayan nation experiences frequent earthquakes of varying intensity, underscoring its vulnerability to seismic disasters.

The National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre has recorded several tremors in western Nepal in recent months, including earthquakes measuring 4.2 and 4.5 magnitude in Mugu district on September 15 and a 5.3-magnitude quake in Mustang on September 8.

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