A woman died following an earthquake that rattled west Nepal with an epicentre in Bajura district on Tuesday afternoon.

Chief of Bajura District Police Office Surya Bahadur Thapa said Jamuna Rokaya of Gaumul Rural Municipality-2 of Bajura died after she was hit by a boulder during the jolt.

Several houses have been damaged by the quake, police said.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre in Bichhayan of Himali Rural Municipality jolted west Nepal, sending people out of their homes.

According to Lok Bijaya Adhikari, chief of the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake was recorded at 2:43pm.

At least six persons died following an earthquake that struck west Nepal on November 10.