Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 21 2009:
A major earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook earthquake prone north eastern India including Manipur today at 2.26 pm (IST), triggering panic in the region that experienced its fifth tremor in the last 45 days.
US Geological survey reported that the epicentre of the earthquake is Mongar, 180 kms from Thimpu, Bhutan, which is 125 kms north-west from Guwahati.
No casualties or injuries were reported.
However, quoting witnesses, agencies report said that wide cracks on building in Guwahati were visible.
The tremors reportedly lasted for 20 seconds and people experienced two shocks, rattling the structuring and leaving people to storm out of their houses.
Meanwhile, reports also suggested that tremors were also felt in parts of North Bengal.
Meanwhile, at least 10 people were reported to have been killed and dozens were injured in neighbouring Bhutan, according to officials and the state-run Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS).
The quake was centred about 160 km (100 miles) east of the capital, Thimphu, at a depth of 7.2 km (4.5 miles), the U.S.Geological Survey said.
At least five people were killed in Mongar district, the epicentre of the quake, while the rest died killed in landslides in other remote areas of the mountainous region, the radio said.
"Houses, and monasteries and roads have been damaged.
Mobile services are clogged," Lungthen Dorji, the governor of the eastern Trashigang district was quoted to have said.
"The aftershocks were felt at least six to seven times," a teacher from the town of Kanglung in Trashigang district, told the state-run radio.Tremors were felt in the bordering Indian state of Assam and West Bengal, officials in the Indian Meteorological Department said.