An earthquake measuring 5.4 magnitude was felt in different parts of the country at 3:07 pm on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the National Seismological Centre (NSC), the quake’s epicentre was in Sindhupalchok district and it was felt in several parts of the country, including Kathmandu, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, and Morang. The NSC said the tremor was an aftershock of the Gorkha earthquake that struck the country on April 25, 2015 that caused a widespread devastation.

It was the 436th aftershock above 5 magnitude since the April earthquake. Many people in Kathmandu rushed out in the streets when they felt the ground shake.  On Sunday, an aftershock measuring 5.5 magnitude with epicenter

in Gorkha was also felt

in different parts of the country.

NSC Chief Lok Bijaya Adhikari said aftershocks were normal occurence after any major earthquake and that they were

expected to take place even after two years of the main shock.

The NSC has been recording somewhere between 30 to 40 tremors below 4 magnitude these days. In the initial months of the Gorkha earthquake, up to 60 quakes below 4 magnitude along with a couple of moderate and high intensity tremors were recorded.

The frequency of aftershocks will decrease over time and there is no reason to panic, Adhikari said.