Nepal earthquake: Dozens dead as new quake strikes weeks after disaster which killed thousands

Fleeing for safety: Nepalese run for open space as a strong earthquake hits Kathmandu (EPA)

12 May 2015

Nepal has been rocked by a second major earthquake in the space of a month, leaving at least 42 people dead and more than 1,000 injured.

The 7.3 magnitude quake struck near the town of Namche Bazar, near Mount Everest in the east of the country.

It comes after a devastating earthquake on April 25 left more than 8,000 people dead and thousands more injured.

Tremors from today's quake were felt as far away as Delhi, India, and Dhaka in Bangladesh, according to reports.

Nepal's Health Ministry said rescuers had managed to pull three people to safety in the capital, while another nine were rescued in the district of Dolkha.

The quake caused landslides around Chautara, and more than 100 people were injured in surrounding villages, chief district officer Krishna Gyawali said.

A spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration said a search and rescue team had already begun searching through the wreckage in Chautara, between Kathmandu and Everest.

Today's quake was deeper than the one last month, coming from a depth of 11.5 miles compared with the April 25 quake which hit 9.3 miles. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more damage at the surface.

The BBC's Simon Cox, who was in Kathmandu when the quake hit, said: "You could feel it really strongly. You could feel it went on for about 25 seconds - the ground was shaking, the birds started squawking, you could feel the buildings shaking.

"There was another aftershock and people were all out on the street. That aftershock really added anxiety and panic. People started crying.

Women cower in fear as the quake struck in Nepal

"They are calm but you can tell they are all scared."

Nepal earthquake: Dozens dead as new quake strikes weeks after disaster which killed thousands

Read More