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Roundup: Fresh quake adds casualties while Nepalese PM calls for calm, relief action

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

While many residents of the Nepalese capital city were sent back to the streets or even forced to stay outside overnight by Tuesday's powerful quake, the government has called on citizens to remain calm and act to help search, rescue and relief efforts.

The quake, which Nepal's National Seismological Center said was measured at 6.8 on the Richter scale, has claimed 65 lives while leaving some 1,926 people injured with 1,692 of them medicated, according to the National Emergency Operation Center.

The Nepal Police reported on Wednesday that five structures were completely destroyed while 12 other buildings were partially damaged in the fresh quake.

Xinhua correspondents witnessed crowds of panic-stricken people rushed out of their residents and office buildings in several parts of Kathmandu shortly after Tuesday's strong tremor was felt. Police officers were in front of some big buildings guiding people running to the open space.

Many people were seen lying and sitting either under the tarpaulin, in courtyards or by the roadside in the night.

Old people and women with their children were still spotted at roadside Wednesday morning.

"We have no option but to sleep under the open sky until we feel safe to go inside the house," said Kopila, a local citizen, quoted by the Republica daily newspaper.

The fresh quake also forced the government to decide to extend the closure of all education institutions, including schools, in the earthquake-affected districts until May 29.

The Nepalese government announced the closure of these institutions after the April 25 earthquake, and had decided earlier that they would be open again from May 15.

At this hour of crisis, Nepal's Prime Minister Sushil Loirala has appealed to all the people to remain patient, strong and safe without being scared.

He told an emergency meeting of the cabinet held following the quake that the government had sent medical and search and rescue teams with necessary medicines on helicopters to districts reportedly being hit seriously.

The government had been sending food items and corrugated zinc sheets to the earthquake victims, he said, adding, "Even civil servants, leaders and cadres of political parties and people from different sectors have been actively involved in helping the victims, along with the security forces."

Claiming Tuesday's quake was only an aftershock of the April 25 earthquake, the prime minister urged Nepalese not to believe rumors or block roads but involve in helping injured people to reach hospitals.

He said Nepalese people would be relieved from the natural disaster soon. Endi