CNN
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A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck western Nepal Wednesday morning local time, killing at least six people people, according to local officials.

The epicenter was in the City area, at a depth of 15.7 kilometers (9.7 mi), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). It was 21 kilometers east of Dipayal, a municipality in the westernmost district of Doti District of Nepal, USGS He said.

at least six One person was killed and five injured in the rural municipality of Porpichawke in Doti district, Deputy Police Chief Bhola Bhatta told CNN.

He noted that three houses were completely destroyed in the earthquake, adding that a search and rescue operation is underway.

On Wednesday, Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed his condolences on Twitter to the families of the dead.

“I have instructed the relevant authorities to arrange the immediate and proper treatment of the injured and victims in the relief and rescue (efforts) in the affected areas,” he wrote.

The earthquake was felt as far as the Indian capital, New Delhi, and lasted about ten seconds.

Bhatta said authorities were not expecting a large number of casualties as the epicenter of the quake appeared to be in a sparsely populated area around Khaptad National Park.

In 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, Killed nearly 9,000 people Flattening homes and buildings.

The granular country is where the tectonic plates of India and Eurasia collide, create the The Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau, make Nepal vulnerable to earthquakes.