Nepal's National Seismological Center said the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.4, but the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) later downgraded it to 5.7 and the US Geological Survey determined it was 5.6.

Local officials said it was impossible to establish communications in the area near the epicenter in Jajarkot, a hilly district with a population of 190,000 and villages scattered across remote hills.

Jajarkot local official Harish Chandra Sharma said at least 34 people were killed in his district, while in neighboring Rukum West district, police officer Namaraj Bhattarai said at least 35 deaths had been reported. Jajarkot district official Suresh Sunar said at least 20 people had been taken to hospital with injuries.

“Rescue and search teams have to clear roads blocked by landslides to reach the affected areas,” Bhattarai said. Ramidanda, where the epicenter is located, is still closed to authorities.

Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed deep grief over the loss of life and property in the earthquake and ordered security agencies to launch immediate rescue and relief operations.

The Nepal National Seismological Center said the earthquake occurred at 11:47 p.m. local time Friday in Jajarkot district, Karnali province. Jajarkot is about 500 kilometers west of the capital Kathmandu.

Local media images showed the shattered facades of multi-storey brick houses, with large pieces of furniture scattered about. Residents said the tremors were felt in neighbouring districts and as far away as Kathmandu.

The earthquake shook buildings as far away as New Delhi, some 600km away. Video on social network X, formerly known as Twitter, showed people running into the streets as some buildings were evacuated.

In 2015, about 9,000 people were killed in two earthquakes in Nepal. Entire towns, centuries-old temples and other historic sites were reduced to rubble, with more than a million homes destroyed, causing an estimated $6 billion in economic damage.

Huy Hoang (according to Reuters, AP, India Today)