An earthquake with an epicentre near Mount Everest has woken up people in Nepal, which is still recovering from last year’s devastating tremors.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4.

Nepal’s National Seismology Center said the epicentre was on the border between Ramechap and Solukhumbu districts, about 120 kilometres east of the capital, Kathmandu.

Police said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damages, but since the quake was in the mountains with remote villages, it could take time for any reports to come in.

In Kathmandu, residents fled their houses after they were awoken by the pre-dawn earthquake.

People ran out of their houses into the streets, but there were no disruptions in power or telephone services.

Nepal is still recovering from last year’s earthquake that killed nearly 9000 people and damaged nearly one million houses and buildings.