By Sally Hayden
Another earthquake has hit Nepal killing at least 37, just over two weeks after a 7.8 earthquake resulted in the deaths of more than 8,000 people. This time the epicenter was close to the base camp of Mount Everest and it had a magnitude of 7.3, according to the US Geological Survey.
Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) measured the earthquake as 7.1 and said the epicenter was located between Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk, north of Kathmandu.Information on casualties is still emerging. The NEOC reported the death toll as 42, though they have since revised that figure down to 37. The Ministry of Education also announced that all schools in affected districts would be closed for two weeks.
At least 17 died in India, according to Home Ministry spokesman Kuldeep Dhatwalia. Of those, 16 were in Bihar state. A landslide caused by the quake killed another person in Tibet, according to China Central Television.
NGO Care International — who had staff delivering aid in Nepal when the earthquake struck — reported it had caused roadblocks.
Related: ‘The Ground You Think Is Solid Suddenly Gives Way’: At Least 4,000 Dead in Nepal Earthquake Tragedy
Tremors were felt as far away as the capital Kathmandu, as well as in the Indian capital of New Delhi and the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.
Nepal’s police have appealed to people to avoid the roads and try not to clog up the phone networks. Hours before the latest quake, they had published an updated death toll from the April 25 earthquake, recording 8,151 fatalities and 17,868 people who were injured.
Kent Page, emergency spokesperson for UNICEF in Nepal, told VICE News he was in a school in Kathmandu when Tuesday’s earthquake struck.
“It was terrifying, a very scary experience. The whole building started shaking, the ground started moving under our feet,” he recounted. “We all ran out into a small courtyard and the shaking and swaying just carried on. I think it lasted a minute but possibly a lot longer.”
Now, he said, “people are out on the roads, on the streets, sitting out wherever there’s grass, nobody’s in buildings anymore.”
In a statement sent to VICE News, UNICEF worker Rose Foley described the moment the earthquake hit. “We dived under tables in the UNICEF building as it rocked from side to side,” she said. “The shaking seemed to go on and on.”
Foley added: “We got out to safety as soon as possible. Sitting out in the open it felt like I was on a boat on rough seas as aftershocks hit.”
At least half a million people were left homeless in Nepal by last month’s earthquake.
Related: In Photos: Funeral Pyres, Anger, and Slow Recovery in Nepal
VICE News’ Scott Mitchell contributed to this report.
Follow Sally Hayden on Twitter: @sallyhayd
