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9/19/11 (AEIN) A powerful earthquake struck parts of Asia on Sunday, including Nepal and northeastern India. It had a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale and a depth of twenty kilometers (12.4 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was centered in Sikkim, India to the northwest of Gangtok and to the west of Thimphu, Bhutan.
All India Radio reported early Monday that the earthquake had caused significant damage and killed or injured a number of people in India and neighboring countries. The compound wall of the U.K. embassy in Nepal's capitol Kathmandu collapsed and fell on nearby pedestrians, according to VOA. Homes and vehicles also suffered damage.
NHK reported on Monday that emergency personnel were facing difficulty in providing aid due to poor weather conditions. A number of strong earthquakes have hit northern India and Nepal in the past, including a 6.6 magnitude quake in 1988 and a 7.0 in 1991, according to the World Almanac. Both caused significant damage and loss of life.