6.0-magnitude quake hits Kathmandu

An earthquake measuring 6.0 in rector scale jolted Kathmandu Friday night.

According to Dr Somnath Sapkota of National Earthquake Information Center, the quake was felt in Kathmandu at around 2330 local time.

According to him, the epicenter is believed to be 80-85 kms away from Jiri, a hill district north of Kathmandu.

So far no casualties have been reported.

He denied reports of the various American websites, which said the epicenter was in Xiang in China. "The quake cannot be felt so strong 400kms away from the epicenter," he said.

It is reported that neighboring districts of Kathmandu, including Nuwaot and Kvare, also felt the tremor, Xinhua reports.

Local said they felt the shake at 23:30.

Avi Tuladhar, a local of New Road, the most commercialized town in Kathmandu, said he felt the shake and ran out of the house, fearing aftershocks.

"I was watching TV and all of a sudden the whole house started to shake. I ran out of the house, fearing aftershock," he said.

Kathmandu, an ill-planned city, is least prepared for such disasters with houses built without any safety measures.