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A strongly-felt earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4. has struck northeast Nepal, with shaking felt in Kathmandu and parts of China, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh, seismologists and residents are reporting.
The earthquake, which happened at 5:20 a.m. local time in Nepal on Monday, was centered about 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Namche Bazaar in Nepal's Sagarmatha Zone.
It struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), making it a shallow earthquake.Both the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre have put the preliminary magnitude of Monday's earthquake at 5.4.
Residents across the region reported feeling the early-morning tremor, but there was no immediate word about possible damage or casualties, though many residents reported that the tremors were strong enough to wake them up.
A resident in Banepa, about 110 kilometers west of the epicenter, described it as a "long shake". There were also many reports from Kathmandu.
"Long mild shake felt and scary noise too at Lazimpat, Kathmandu. I was ready to jump off my bed and run," one resident told EMSC.
We're working to gather additional information.
Comment: Here's a small sample we've collected of other recent natural outgassing related events:
- Scientists find new, strange 'methane bubbles' in field on Russian island
- Methane outgassing from Arctic lakes faster than ever
- 20 foot high flames spew continuously from borehole in Madhya Pradesh, India
- Mysterious burning crack in the earth releases gas in Chimborazo, Ecuador
- Condamine River's mysterious bubbling methane intensifying in Queensland, Australia
- Frozen methane bubbles trapped under Canadian lake ignited with a match
It is likely that outgassing of methane, hydrogen sulfide (and other natural gases) is coming up from deep below the earth's surface. See also:SOTT Exclusive: The growing threat of underground fires and explosions