Kathmandu (TIP): A 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted western Nepal on January 24, killing one person and damaging a number of houses in the region, officials said.

The earthquake, with epicentre in the Mela area of Bajura district in Sudurpaschim province, hit the region at 2.43 PM local time, said Lok Bijaya Adhikari, head of Earthquake Measurement and Research centre.

A 35-year-old woman was killed in Gaumul Rural Municipality-2 when a falling rock hit her while she was cutting grass in the nearby forest, police said. According local police, the earthquake damaged a number of houses in Bajura and Bajhang districts. A landslide triggered by the earthquake resulted in the death of over 40 sheep, the police said, adding that one person was injured.

Monika Dahal, who is head of the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, said the quake was felt in areas of Western Nepal. It was also felt in some parts of India. — PTI