GUWAHATI/SHILLONG/THIMPU, Sept 21: An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rocked parts of Asom, other north-eastern States of India, West Bengal and neighbouring Bhutan on Monday afternoon causing damage to various properties in both the countries, besides claiming the lives of ten people.
A Bhutan Government official confirmed the deaths in the eastern part of the Himalayan nation. “Five people were killed in Mongar and two deaths were reported from Trashigang in eastern Bhutan. We are trying to get more information from the affected places with initial reports saying three more people were injured,” said U Tenzing, the Director of Bhutan’s Disaster Management Department. The casualties were reported when their houses collapsed or some of them were hit by flying debris. “Most of the mud and stone houses with tin roofs caved in with several schools, monasteries and houses damaged in the earthquake,” another senior Bhutanese police official said, requesting not to be named. Police and civil rescue teams have since fanned out to the tremor hit eastern districts of Mongar and Trashigang to look for people who could be trapped or injured.
Of the ten persons killed, three were from lower Asom. They were Mira Bodo of Darrang, Muhan Praaja of Menaka TE and Rupamani Barman, all labourers working on a site in Mongar district in Bhutan.
The epicentre was at Mongar in Bhutan. Mongar, about 500 km from Thimpu, is located along the Indo-Bhutan border, 125 km northwest of Guwahati.
Preliminary reports say cracks developed in apartments and concrete structures in Guwahati. At least five to six apartments in Guwahati developed visible cracks, while two buildings showed signs of slanting due to the impact of the quake,” an Asom Government official said.
This is the fifth and the highest intensity earthquake to have rocked the Northeast since August 13, according to the Regional Seismological Centre of Shillong. The tremors were also felt in parts of West Bengal, including Kolkata.
“We’ve received reports of mild tremors from different parts of the State. Our seismological cell is looking into the matter now,” said an official of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata. According to preliminary reports, the earthquake was felt in south Bengal districts, Malda and some parts of Darjeeling.
Meghalaya Urban Development Agency (MUDA) bye laws clearly spelled out that no buildings should cross the 42-foot height norm or the G+3 mark, but such buildings are growing every day in the State. THE SENTINEL
A Bhutan Government official confirmed the deaths in the eastern part of the Himalayan nation. “Five people were killed in Mongar and two deaths were reported from Trashigang in eastern Bhutan. We are trying to get more information from the affected places with initial reports saying three more people were injured,” said U Tenzing, the Director of Bhutan’s Disaster Management Department. The casualties were reported when their houses collapsed or some of them were hit by flying debris. “Most of the mud and stone houses with tin roofs caved in with several schools, monasteries and houses damaged in the earthquake,” another senior Bhutanese police official said, requesting not to be named. Police and civil rescue teams have since fanned out to the tremor hit eastern districts of Mongar and Trashigang to look for people who could be trapped or injured.
Of the ten persons killed, three were from lower Asom. They were Mira Bodo of Darrang, Muhan Praaja of Menaka TE and Rupamani Barman, all labourers working on a site in Mongar district in Bhutan.
The epicentre was at Mongar in Bhutan. Mongar, about 500 km from Thimpu, is located along the Indo-Bhutan border, 125 km northwest of Guwahati.
Preliminary reports say cracks developed in apartments and concrete structures in Guwahati. At least five to six apartments in Guwahati developed visible cracks, while two buildings showed signs of slanting due to the impact of the quake,” an Asom Government official said.
This is the fifth and the highest intensity earthquake to have rocked the Northeast since August 13, according to the Regional Seismological Centre of Shillong. The tremors were also felt in parts of West Bengal, including Kolkata.
“We’ve received reports of mild tremors from different parts of the State. Our seismological cell is looking into the matter now,” said an official of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata. According to preliminary reports, the earthquake was felt in south Bengal districts, Malda and some parts of Darjeeling.
Meghalaya Urban Development Agency (MUDA) bye laws clearly spelled out that no buildings should cross the 42-foot height norm or the G+3 mark, but such buildings are growing every day in the State. THE SENTINEL
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