New earthquake killes dozens of people and spread more misery in Nepal

Thousands of fearful people spent the night outdoors after a new earthquake killed dozens of people and spread more misery in Nepal, which is still reeling from a devastating quake that killed more than 8,000 nearly three weeks ago. A US Marine Corps helicopter carrying six Marines and two Nepalese soldiers was reported missing while delivering disaster aid in north-east Nepal, US officials said, although there have been no indications the aircraft crashed. A home ministry official, Laxmi Dhakal, said on Wednesday that army helicopters were scouring the Sunkhani area, nearly 80km north-east of Kathmandu, for the missing helicopter.

Tuesday’s 7.3 magnitude quake struck hardest in the foothills of the Himalayas and triggered landslides that blocked roads to remote villages in several districts. Most of the 65 people confirmed dead by Wednesday morning were in Dolakha district, located north-east of Kathmandu, the district’s chief administrator, Prem Lal Lamichane, said. People are terrorised. Everyone is scared here. They spent the night out in the open,” Lamichane said, adding the administration was running out of relief material. He asked the government to send more helicopters and supplies, and said there were many injured people stranded in villages. Tuesday’s quake injured nearly 2,000 people, according to the home ministry’s latest count. (associated press)