HT Digital
GUWAHATI, Mar 5: A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Assam on Wednesday morning at about 11:00 AM, causing tremors in the state and many other areas of the northeastern region.
The earthquake took place at a shallow depth of 10 km below the surface, with its epicenter 29 km from Chongdan, Manipur, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
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The tremors caused panic in cities such as Dibrugarh, where people came out of their houses fearing damage. Fortunately, no one has been reported killed or harmed so far. The quake was felt both in India and Myanmar, again testing the region’s earthquake vulnerability. The authorities are keeping a close watch.
In a related incident, Manipur felt two back-to-back earthquakes on the same day, with quakes being experienced throughout the Northeast. The initial quake, of 5.7 magnitude, occurred around 11:06 AM. Official sources at the Regional Seismological Centre at Shillong said its epicentre was 44 km east of Yairipok in the Imphal East district, at a depth of 110 km.
A second quake of 4.1 intensity was felt at 12:20 PM in Manipur’s Kamjong district, at a depth of 66 km. The two successive quakes left visible damage to structures, and cracks were witnessed in many buildings. Footage on social media indicated a school building in Wangjing Lamding, Thoubal district, developed cracks. The school building had been utilized as a relief camp for victims of continuous unrest in the region.
Since northeastern India is located in a seismically active region, frequent earthquakes are still a worry. The authorities are still evaluating the impact of such tremors and are ready with any response actions that may be required.
