KATHMANDU: A 7.4-magnitude earthquake, at 19km deep, struck northeastern Nepal on Tuesday (May 12), according to the US Geological Survey. 16 people were killed and 335 injured, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 7.4 and struck 68 km west of the town of Namche Bazar, close to Mount Everest, before revising the number to 7.3.

"This is a really big one," said Prakash Shilpakar, the owner of a handicrafts shop in Kathmandu who was trying to call his parents in the town of Bhaktapur, devastated in the April 25 quake.

Shockwaves were felt across northern India and as far away as the capital New Delhi, where buildings swayed for more than a minute and people scurried into the streets.

People in Kathmandu rushed outdoors, Reuters reporters said. There were no immediate reports of damage to buildings. Shopkeepers closed their shops.

The quake's epicentre was close to Everest Base Camp, which was evacuated after an avalanche triggered by the Apr 25 quake killed 18 climbers. Mountaineers seeking to scale the world's tallest peak have called off this year's Everest season.

The quake was also felt some 1,000 kilometres away in the Indian capital New Delhi where buildings shook and office workers evacuated. Other cities in northern India were also rocked by the quake, including Bihar where television footage showed residents gathering on the streets. 

Another 5.6-magnitude aftershock hit minutes later in Nepal, according to the USGS. In Kathmandu, soldiers were deployed on the streets in the wake of Tuesday's earthquake.

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