A strong earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale has hit an area near Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, causing extensive damage to buildings, officials say.

Nepal’s Information Minister Minendra Rijal said the quake took place before noon local time (0615 GMT) on Saturday with its epicenter registered 80 kilometers (49 miles) northwest of the capital.

The quake, which measured at a depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles), toppled walls and caused buildings to collapse.

Nepal’s Home Ministry says at least 114 people are so far known to have been killed in the massive earthquake.

According to reports, dozens of people have also been taken to the main hospital in central Kathmandu with injuries.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"] Nepalese health workers carry injured people into an open area following an 7.9 earthquake, at Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on April 25, 2015. © AFP[/caption]

 

The tremor lasted for nearly a minute and the aftershocks were felt over the region, including India’s entire northern parts and in the capital of New Delhi as well as in Bangladesh.

“It was very scary. The earth was moving ... I am waiting for treatment but the (hospital) staff is overwhelmed,” said Pushpa Das, a laborer who was injured in the strong quake.
Prachanda Sual, a Kathmandu resident, also said several buildings, including centuries-old temples and towers, have been ruined in the center of the capital.

The Kathmandu Valley, which includes the capital, is a densely populated region with nearly 2.5 million residents. Many of the buildings in the area are of poor quality.

The Valley lies on a major fault line. An 8.4-magnitude earthquake rocked the region in 1934, killing some 8,500 people and destroying more than 80,000 buildings, according to data by the United Nations.

By Press TV