Panic as parts of India hit by earthquake

IANS/Imphal/Aizawl

Panic spread as Manipur and Mizoram were hit by big and moderate earthquakes, officials said.

According to the Disaster Management officials of the two northeastern states, no report of loss of life or damage to property has been received yet.

According to the data of the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), a major quake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale occurred at 11.08 p.m. late on Saturday night in western Manipur's Tamenglong district and was at a depth of 28 km.

After the major tremble, another minor quake measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale occurred at 11.39 p.m. in the same mountainous Tamenglong district and was at a depth of 30 km. Officials said the first tremors lasted for about 30 seconds, forcing the terrified people to run out of their homes.

The tremors were also felt in some parts of neighbouring Assam and Tripura.

This was the fourth earthquake in Manipur in as many days.

Earlier, a quake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale occurred at 3.12 a.m. on Friday in eastern Manipur's Kamjong district and was at a depth of 10 km, while on Wednesday, a quake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale, occurred in eastern Manipur's Ukhrul district and was at a depth of 10 km.

Another tremor on Saturday morning measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale occurred at 6.09am in eastern Mizoram's Champhai district and was at a depth of 5 km. No report of damage to property has been received so far.

A tremor measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale also occurred at 8.21 a.m. on Friday in western Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district and was at a depth of 10 km.

Northeastern states, specially Mizoram, frequently witness mild to moderate earthquakes.

Seismologists consider the mountainous northeast region as the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world.