5.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Lamjung, 4 injured as 12 houses collapse

KATHMANDU: An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 originating in Bhulbhule of Lamjung at 5:42 AM this morning has shaken central and western Nepal.

According to the National Earthquake Measurement and Research Center, the epicenter was reported as Lamjung and the magnitude as 5.8. 

Residents of Lamjung and surrounding districts had rushed out of their houses after the quake struck in the morning. According to Lamjung Chief Administrative Officer Jagdish Mishra, a woman was injured when a house collapsed in Besishahar Municipality. 

Mishra said that the people of the district were terrified when they felt the shock of the earthquake in the morning. He said, “Everyone came out of their homes in panic.” 

Two more aftershocks were felt originating at the same place after 8 AM in the morning. According to the website of National Earthquake Measurement and Research Center, the aftershocks were reported at 8:16 AM with a magnitude of 4.0, and at 8:26 AM with a magnitude of 5.3. 

According to Lamjung District Police Office DSP Ganga Thapa, four people have been injured by the quake so far. The injured have been identified as Uma Gurung, 40, and Khawa Kumari Pandey, 83, of Marsyangdi. “The identities of the other two have not been revealed,” said DSP Thapa. “This is just preliminary information and the damage could be higher than we currently know.”