A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Kathmandu, Nepal, in the early hours of Friday, sending shockwaves across the region. Tremors were felt in Bihar, Siliguri, and other parts of India, causing panic among residents.

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Bhairabkunda in Sindhupalchowk district early this morning, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center.

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Kodari Highway in Sindhupalchowk, 65 km east of Kathmandu, at 2.51 am. Four people have been reportedly injured. Nepal is in a highly seismic zone, having previously experienced a devastating 7.

Nepal lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (Seismic zones IV and V), making the Himalayan nation extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. So far, the worst quake it has witnessed was in April 2015, when a 7.8 magnitude quake killed more than 9,000 people and damaged over 1 million structures.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck north of Nepal's Kathmandu on Friday, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre. The earthquake struck around Bhairab Kunda in the Sindhupalchok District in Nepal, close to the Himalayan mountain range that runs along the border with Tibet.

The quake, reportedly with Listikot, Sindhupalchowk as its epicenter, shook most parts of eastern and central Nepal. Tremors of the earthquake were felt in the Kathmandu Valley. It is reported that the tremors were felt in parts of India and China.