KATHMANDU — A moderate earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale struck the remote Mustang district in northwestern Nepal late Tuesday evening, causing panic among local residents who rushed outdoors into open ground.
According to official data from Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the seismic activity occurred at precisely 9:53 PM local time. The epicenter was pinpointed at Lomanthang in Mustang district, situated roughly 375 kilometers northwest of the capital, Kathmandu. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) noted that tremors were felt across a broad swath of the Himalayan region, including neighboring Tibet.
Strong tremors were reported in adjoining mountainous districts including Manang, Dolpa, and Myagdi. Authorities confirmed that there were no immediate reports of casualties or severe structural damage from the epicentral zone. However, local administration officials in Gandaki Province have heightened monitoring given the difficult terrain and fragile geological conditions.
The seismic shock arrives at a critical moment for Nepal, which is currently reeling from an unprecedented humanitarian emergency. The nation has been carrying out extensive search and rescue operations following catastrophic glacial outburst floods and landslides along the Bhote Koshi and surrounding river basins late last month.
Complicating matters further in Gandaki Province, disaster management authorities issued high-alert warnings on Tuesday night after a massive landslide blocked the Kimrung River—a key tributary of the Modi River in Parbat district. Officials have urged communities living in low-lying coastal areas, including Nayapul and Birethanti, to evacuate immediately to safer, higher grounds.
Rescue workers, including teams from the Nepal Police, Nepali Army, and foreign specialist disaster response units, remain heavily deployed across the country. Authorities are continuing to monitor seismic activity in Mustang and surrounding sectors for potential aftershocks.
