Earthquake near Punakha shakes Bhutan, felt in Nepal and neighboring countries

A powerful earthquake struck with its epicenter near the historic city of Punakha in Bhutan on Sunday night.

According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center, the earthquake, measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale, occurred at 11:21 PM Nepali time. The epicenter is estimated to be about 5 kilometers from Punakha city.

The tremors were not limited to Bhutan but were also felt in neighboring countries. Reports indicate that areas in Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and parts of China experienced the quake’s impact.

In Nepal, the tremors were clearly felt in the eastern regions, as confirmed by the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center.

The nighttime tremors caused panic among some local residents in eastern Nepal.