Over 30 hurt in Wednesday's quake, aftershock felt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 14 2016 : The earthquake that hit the Myanmar-India border region on Wednesday night damaged structures and left at least 30 people injured in Manipur, but there has been no report yet of any loss of life, officials here said.

The earthquake which lasted for about 15 seconds damaged a number of structures across the State.

Many buildings, both of Central Government and State Government, were damaged by the quake.

Among the damaged buildings include BSNL office building located at Babupara which was also recently damaged in the Jan 4 quake.

The building of Lamphel Sanakeithel Police Outpost was damaged.

The two women market complexes which were damaged by the Jan 4 earthquake were further damaged.

Buildings of the Sugnu Super Market were also damaged.

Earthquake affected school

Office buildings of Secretariat and Central Govt quarters at Wangkhei Eastern ground also bore the brunt of the quake.

At least 30 people, including women, were injured in the earthquake that measured 6.9 on the Richter scale, said the officials on Thursday.

Several houses, school buildings and markets in Manipur were damaged by the tremors, they said.

n neighbouring Assam, two persons were killed and over 70 others were injured in the quake.

One primary school building at Khekman in Thoubal district of Manipur collapsed completely, destroying the adjacent house of Jamir Khan.

The head offices of the State Bank of India and BSNL in Imphal suffered some damage.

At Kangpokpi and several residential houses at Upper Kalapahar, Kangpokpi AC have been partially damaged.

Around 10 residential houses including a temple, a Government school and those houses which suffered damages during the January 4 earthquake were affected.

A team of Gorkha youth including members of Kalapahar and Upper Kalapahar Gorkha Youth Club led by Milan Pradhan, president, Kalapahar Gorkha Youth Club and Raghu Gautam, president, Upper Kalapahar Gorkha Youth Club visited the affected houses at Upper Kalapahar this afternoon.

Anandi Shor Shiva Mandir, Upper Kalapahar which was inaugurated recently has developed two huge cracks on the floor.

Staff room wall of Upper Kalapahar aided UJB School has also developed cracks and few classrooms were also partially damaged.

Old residential buildings located at Thangal and Paona bazar were also damaged.

A house located at Uripok Ahanthem Leikai was partially damaged by the earthquake.

The house belonging to H Gourakishore was damaged as the brick wall from the neighbouring house collapsed and fell over it.

He commented that after the quake hit the place and damage was caused, there was no means to contact the State Disaster Management Authority for immediate relief.

Several attempts were made but to no use, he said.

Further he suggested that the State Disaster Management Authority should take up steps to provide easily accessible means to contact the authority in times of such natural calamities.

The epicentre of the quake was located at 23.157 degree North/ 94.851 degree East near Pyingaing of Myanmar, which is about 205 km South-east of Imphal and 130 km South East of Moreh town of Indo-Myanmar border.

The depth of quake is estimated as 128 km according to the Seismological Observatory of Manipur University.

Several houses in Nungba sub-division of Tamenglong district were also damaged by the tremors on Wednesday.

There are reports that several persons have been injured.

The district administration is collecting information on the number of people injured and houses damaged in the hill district.

Police officials told IANS in Imphal that so far there is no report of any death in the quake-related incidents.

Health officials said that medical teams, medicine supplies and equipment have been kept in readiness in case any report is received of injuries in the far-off hilly and rural areas of the State which lack in proper medicare facility.

After shock felt : On the other hand, after the major earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale which rattled the entire State last evening, an aftershock measuring 4.7 on the Richter Scale was felt in the State at 10 am today.

However, there is no report of casualties or damages on account of the aftershock.

The epicentre of the minor quake recorded this morning had its epicentre at a place within Chandel district close to Myanmar, according to information received from Manipur University Seismology Observatory.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Department has written to all Deputy Commissioners to submit detailed reports of the casualties and damages suffered within their respective districts on account of the earthquake which rattled the State yesterday.

On the other hand, the expert committee constituted by the National Disaster Management Authority submitted a report to the State Government on April 5 about the damages caused to two Ima Keithels by the devastating earthquake which rocked the State this year on January 4.The quake measured 6.7 on the Richter Scale.

The report suggested seismic safety assessment of the two damaged Ima Keithels.

Materials used in constructing the columns of the two market complexes were found below par during laboratory tests conducted by a team of IIT, Guwahati, informed an official source.

It is reported that the State Government has decided to rope in a team of IIT Guwahati to conduct seismic safety assessment of the two market complexes.

Notably, the Ministers' Block of the Civil Secretariat building is still denied access to officials as well as public after it was damaged by the January 4 earthquake.