Strong 6.8 earthquake hits India's northeastern region, 6 dead

Over 90 people have been reported injured

At least six people were killed and over 90 injured as a strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake with epicentre in Manipur today hit the northeastern region, causing damage to buildings and triggering panic.

Manipur bore the brunt of the temblor which struck at 4.35 a.m, jolting the people out of their sleep. Many buildings collapsed or developed cracks in Tamenglong, where the earthquake was epicetred at a depth of 17 km. All six deaths were in the state while 70 people were injured.

Army and Air Force have joined the relief operations and two teams of National Disaster Response Force have been rushed to Imphal while one was being sent to Assam where at least 20 people were injured.

 

Of the six deaths in Manipur, three were killed in Imphal West district, one at Jiribam in Imphal East district and two in Senapati districts, officilas said.

"Damage to a few buildings, residential units and Government offices have been reported, including damage to a six storey building in Imphal," according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Power supply to Imphal city has been disrupted and some power installations have suffered damage, an official statement said after Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha held a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) this morning.

Several buildings in Imphal, including the market complex, and roads developed cracks while walls of some school buildings have collapsed, officils said.

Nearly 20 persons were injured in Guwahati and other areas in Assam due to the earthquake, Assam Commissioner and Secretary (Disaster Management) Pramod Kumar Tiwari said. Officials said at least 30 buildings have developed cracks.

According to the regional seismological centre in Meghalaya, an earthquake of moderate intensity rocked India's northeastern states and adjoining Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan Monday morning.

The quake occurred at 4.35 a.m and had its epicentre in Manipur's Tamenglong district. It was felt in parts of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura, said an official of the regional seismological centre in Meghalaya.

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a tweet said that she felt her room shake during the quake. 

Felt my room shake, in Siliguri government guest house! Hope everyone is ok. #tremor.

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) January 3, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted saying that he spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is currently in Assam and asked him to oversee the situation. He stated that he also placed calls to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki in the wake of the earthquake.

Spoke to Rajnath ji, who is in Assam, on the situation arising due to the earthquake & asked him to oversee the situation.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2016

Had a telephone conversation with Assam CM Shri Tarun Gogoi on the earthquake in the state & the region.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2016

Spoke to Arunachal Pradesh CM Shri Nabam Tuki on the situation arising in the wake of the earthquake.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2016

The PM's office also tweeted that the NDRF team has been instructed to move from Guwahati to areas affected by the earthquake.

NDRF team has been instructed to move from Guwahati to the areas affected by the earthquake.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 4, 2016

"MHA is actively monitoring the situation after the earthquake in the North East region," the Home Minister said.

MHA is actively monitoring the situation after the earthquake in the North East region. NDRF teams have been rushed to affected areas.

— HMO India (@HMOIndia) January 4, 2016

The NDMA said it was co-ordinating with the state governments, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, NDRF, Ministry of Telecom and other concerned Government departments and agencies for search & rescue and relief.

Chief Minister Ibobi Singh said that they were trying to assess the extent of the damage. "The Prime Minister and Home Minister have assured all possible help," he said.

"MHA is actively monitoring the situation after the earthquake in the North East region," Rajnath Singh said.

Army units in Manipur were providing all necessary medical assistance to the injured, defence officials said.
 

India's northeast is considered the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world.

The northeast has seen some of the biggest quakes in history. In 1897, the Shillong-epicentred quake measured 8.2 on the Richter scale.

In 1950, an earthquake in Assam measuring 8.7 on the Richter Scale forced the mighty Brahmaputra river to change its course. In September 2011, Sikkim underwent heavy damage after a quake hit the state.