A 7.3 magnitude earthquake ravaged eastern Nepal Tuesday night, killing dozens and collapsing buildings already weakened by the April 25 tremor that killed more than 8,000 people.
At least 48 have died and another 1,261 were injured, though that number is likely to rise once people buried under rubble are accounted for, said Nepal government spokesman Minendra Rijal. The majority of casualties came in villages centered between Kathmandu and Mount Everest, many which were engulfed by landslides.
Neighboring India has reported 17 casualties with all but one coming in Bihar state, according to India's Home Ministry, and a woman in Tibet was killed when falling rocks smashed her car as she traveled through Gyirong County.
The U.S Geological Survey counts at least 10 aftershocks felt within the ensuing hour.
Nepal's parliament was in session when the quake hit, prompting lawmakers to run to the nearest exits. Kathmandu's only international airport was closed for almost half an hour as people rushed onto city streets and away from toppling structures.
Tuesday's earthquake was centered near the Tibet-Nepal border about 47 miles east of Kathmandu. The 7.8-magnitude tremor three weeks ago - which had an epicenter 60 miles away from the capital- left the Asian country with few resources for thousands of homeless people who were forced to set up tents in empty fields, sidewalks, and parking lots.
Rescue crews were immediately sent to mountain towns that were directly impacted, specifically hard-hit districts of Dolkha and Sindhupalchowk, the Nepalese government said.
The Sindhupalchowk town of Chautara had become a humanitarian camp following last month's quake, but not sits in debris and many not have useable resources.
Relief funds for the initial quake had only reached 15 percent of the $423 million goal as of Tuesday morning. Jamie McGoldrick, resident coordinator of the United Nations in Nepal, worries that the international community is reluctant to provide aid to the distressed nation.
Aid groups are struggling to get necessary medical and food supplies to the region. Organization like the International Red Cross, Oxfam America, UNICEF, and the U.N. World Food Program have made themselves available for anyone that would like to donate to the effort.
U.S. officials said a Marine Corps helicopter sent to aid in central Nepal is missing. The UH-1 Huey was carrying six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers. According to the Pentagon, there was talk of fuel issues hampering their mission.
"Essentially what we have right now is truly a missing helicopter. We simply don't know its location," said Col. Steve Warren in speaking with Reuters. Search operations had to be called off due to darkness.
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