5.6 magnitude earthquake hits Nepal, tremors felt in north India

New Delhi: An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck west Nepal on Monday and strong tremors were felt in parts of north India, the National Centre for Seismology said.

It said the epicentre for the quake was 233 kilometres north of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

The quake triggered panic among people, with many in Delhi and the National Capital Region reporting vigorous shaking of furniture.

Several social media users shared visuals of people rushing out of residential buildings.

At least 157 people were killed and more than 160 injured when a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the worst since 2015, struck Nepal on Friday night and destroyed hundreds of houses in the Himalayan nation's remote mountainous region.

Nepal lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (seismic zones IV and V) of the world, making the country extremely vulnerable to earthquakes.