12 killed, over 100 injured lCracks surface in M’laya police HQ, NEIGRIHMS lTwo women hurt in Shillong
Guwahati/SHILLONG: At least 12 persons were killed and over 100 injured when an earthquake measuring 6.7 in the Richter scale with its epi-centre at Tamenglong in Manipur rocked the northeastern region at around 4:35 am on Monday.
At least eight deaths were reported so far from the worst-affected Manipur where over 90 persons were injured in various places.
Two persons died in Guwahati when they suffered heart attack when they got panicky trying to rush out of their home during the quake.
One each died in Bihar and West Bengal after suffering heart attacks following the earthquake, a PTI report said.
An official with the Upper Shillong Seismological observatory said that the epicentre of the quake was at a depth of 17km in Tamenglong district of Manipur (24.8 North latitude and 93.5 East longitude).
The epicentre was near the river Barak, so there was little damage.
In Meghalaya, two women were injured after they panicked and fell down the stairs following the earthquake.
The temblor also caused cracks in the Meghalaya police headquarters and the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science (NEIGRIHMS).
One of the injured identified as Soma Devi (37) fractured her left leg and arm after falling down from the steps while carrying her daughter to safety during the tremor.
She was admitted to NEIGRHIMS.
Another victim Chitra Ghosh also fell from the steps while running to safer ground resulting in injury to her pelvic region. She has been admitted to Shillong Civil Hospital.
At least 20 persons were injured in Guwahati and other parts of Assam.
Two teams of National Disaster Response Forces were rushed to assist rescue operations in Manipur.
Union minister of state for Home, Kiren Rijiju and Minister for DoNER, Jitendra Singh arrived in Imphal to monitor the relief and rescue operations.
Several building including the multi-storied all-women market in Imphal suffered extensive damage in the quake. Power supply was severely disrupted throughout Manipur, according to official sources.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in Assam visiting India-Bangladesh border areas, informed that the Centre was monitoring the situation in earthquake-hit Manipur and would provide all possible assistance to help the state tide over the crisis.
Chief Minister of earthquake-hit Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in the aftermath of the disaster. He said the state would need assistance from all including governments and NGOs to tide over the crisis.
Manipur suffered three earthquakes since last night. The latest and the third one with magnitude 3.6 in Richter scale occurred at around 9:27 am with epicenter near Tamenglong at depth of 20 kms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Ibobi Singh, Tarun Gogoi and other chief ministers of the region early in the morning to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the quake.
Extensive damages to dwelling houses were reported from Majuli, the largest inhabited river island on the planet.
A cabinet meeting, chaired by Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, decided to provide ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of deceased.
“Damage to a few buildings, residential units and Government offices have been reported, including damage to a six storey building in Imphal,” according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).