Twin earthquakes strike western Nepal

Kathmandu: Two back-to-back earthquakes struck western Nepal on Friday evening, occurring just three minutes apart, officials here said.

However, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The first tremor of magnitude 5.2 was recorded at 8:07 pm local time at Jajarkot district, followed by a stronger 5.5 magnitude earthquake at 8:10 pm, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring Centre.

Both quakes had their epicentre in the Panik area of Jajarkot district, approximately 525 km west of Kathmandu.

The tremors were felt across neighbouring districts, including Surkhet, Dailekh, and Kalikot in western Nepal.

Nepal, situated in a seismically active zone, frequently experiences earthquakes. The region continues to be on alert, with authorities monitoring for any aftershocks or potential structural damage in the affected areas.