A major earthquake has struck eastern Nepal just two weeks after a devastating quake hit the country and left more than 8,000 dead.

The death toll from Tuesday's quake continues to rise, with at least 42 people reported dead and 1,117 people injured according to Nepal's Home Ministry. The death toll may rise again as people are believed to be trapped in the rubble of several collapsed buildings, according to journalists at the scene.

See also: How to help earthquake victims in Nepal

Tuesday's earthquake, which the U.S. Geological Survey says is an aftershock of the earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, struck near the town of Namche Bazar near Mount Everest. It was shallow and had a magnitude of 7.3 according to the USGS. The earthquake on April 25 had a magnitude of 7.8.

The second quake struck near the Himalayas.

Rose Foley, an aid worker with UNICEF Nepal, described the scene in Kathmandu, where she and other UNICEF workers sheltered under tables.

"The shaking seemed to go on and on. We got out to safety as soon as possible. Sitting out in the open it felt like I was on a boat on rough seas as aftershocks hit," said Foley, communicating with Mashable via email. "We are thinking of every child in Nepal who has already been through so much. We are very concerned about the impact this new quake could have on children who are already very vulnerable."

UNICEF has had teams on the ground since the April 25 quake, providing tents, safe drinking water, hygiene kits, medical supplies and counseling for children affected by the initial disaster.

About to map Changu Narayan Temple with @skycatch when a 7.3 earthquake hit. Everyone is ok. #NepalQuake pic.twitter.com/jpWY69znTO — David Chen (@chenosaurus) May 12, 2015

The quake, which struck around 12:35 p.m. local time, was felt as far away as Delhi in India and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The quake triggered rockslides in the country's north, near the town of Dhunche, and rattled areas already working to rebuild.

Yuvraj Agrawal, an orthopedic surgeon from the UK, has been volunteering at a hospital in Dhulikhel near Kathmandu since April 25 and was operating on a woman whose foot was injured in the initial quake when Tuesday's struck.

"Instruments started to drop off the table... The patient, 23, lay under spinal anaesthetic, unable to move from her legs down," Agrawal told the BBC. "She remained calm without moving any muscle...I couldn't leave my patient, so I stayed with her."

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a shake map showing the location of the earthquake, 83 kilometres east of Kathmandu, near the Chinese border. The quake struck at a depth of 18.5km (11.5 miles). The original quake on Apr 25 was 15km (9.3 miles) deep. More shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.

People on the ground in Kathmandu felt strong tremors. Many in the capital fled buildings and gathered on the streets Tuesday. By the evening, some had erected makeshift tents in the streets, too afraid to return to their homes for fear of another quake.

Luck Beck, a communications officer with human right's organization CARE said those in the office in Kathmandu ran to the street as the quake struck.

“We were having a meeting on the fourth floor when the ground started moving and the building started swaying so that we were almost getting dizzy," said Beck via email. "We all rushed outside and congregated in the street. The quake itself lasted for about two minutes and afterwards there was continued shaking. A lot of our staff then went home to check on their family."

Very strong tremor in Kathmandu. Everyone has left Oxfam office and Nepali staff calling family members — Kai Tabacek (@KaiTab) May 12, 2015

Wow barely survived!! Everything collapsed in front of me. Another big one #NepalQuake — Pallavi Dhakal (@PallaviDhakal) May 12, 2015

Despite 15 days of aftershocks, people rattled enough by this latest quake to take to the streets again #Nepal https://t.co/ETxeUz3Y0G — Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) May 12, 2015

Footage from Kathmandu airport showed scenes of confusion as the ground shook. Flights were cancelled in and out of Kathmandu Airport for several hours after the quake.

Hundreds of people running of out of Kathmandu airport. Scary shaking from aftershock #NepalQuake pic.twitter.com/XiIdB0BCCS — Jack Board (@JackBoard) May 12, 2015

In India, tremors were felt in Allahabad and train services were reportedly halted temporarily in Delhi.

Two people were killed in Bihar, India, according to The Times of India. One person died in the Danapur area after a wall collapsed on him, while a young girl was killed in the Vaishali district, they said.

There were concerns for the villages and towns in Nepal where aid efforts are continuing after last month's earthquake.

The region has been hit by hundreds of aftershocks in the last two weeks. The U.S. Geological Survey reported several aftershocks registering 5.6 and 6.3 shortly after Tuesday's 7.3 quake.

Nepalese people gather in a temporary shelter after another earthquake in Bhaktapur, Nepal, Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Image: Tashi Sherpa/Associated Press

A number of organisations are helping victims in Nepal and accepting donations.