5.1.16

6.7 quake hits Northeast

At least eight people, six in Manipur and two in Assam, were killed and around 90 injured when a magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocked the northeast as well as parts of eastern India a little before dawn on Monday . “A massive temblor jolted people out of their sleep at 4.37 am,“ an official in Imphal said. Over 165 houses were damaged in Imphal East, Imphal West, Senapati and Tamenglong districts.Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Assam to visit the border, said, “I woke up because of a big shake around 4.30 am. Later, the PM called me up to know about the situation.“
Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said the epicentre of the quake was Noney village in Tamenglong district, about 40 km north-west of Imphal. The Manipur capital suffered the most in the earthquake that sparked panic across the northeast. The chief minister announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to families of the dead and said the government would bear treatment cost of the injured.
In Imphal, several houses developed cracks and many walls collapsed. “The Centre has sent a contingent of 65 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and equipment to Manipur. Another NDRF team will reach here on Tuesday ,“ he added.
“The toll may go up because we are yet to get reports from remote areas,“ a Manipur official said.
In Guwahati, people rushed out of their homes in panic.“The ground shook for about a minute. It must be the biggest quake since 1950,“ an elderly resident of Imphal said.
“Household objects toppled and almirahs shook,“ Shiva Singh, another Imphal resident, added.
M Angamuthu, deputy commissioner of Assam's Kamrup (Metro) district, said, “ Around 15 people were injured in Guwahati while running out of their homes for safety .“
He added, “ At least 30 buildings developed cracks. Their number may go up once we complete the assessment of the damage.“
Manipur works minister Ratan Khumujam said there were three deaths in Imphal West, two in Imphal East and one in Senapati.
In Guwahati, two persons died at densely-populated Maligaon. Scores were injured in Guwahati as well as Barak valley which is close to Manipur's Tamenglong district.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi reviewed the situation along with chief secretary VK Pipersenia and other senior officials.
Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju and minister Jitendra Singh visited Imphal to assess the situation. Earlier, the Prime Minister had spoken to Gogoi and the Manipur chief minister. “The Centre will provide all necessary help,“ Rijiju said.
Officials in Guwahati said many high buildings, including the Gauhati Medical College, Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh and Silchar Medical College, developed cracks.
Railway tracks in Naharkatiya in Dibrugarh were damaged.
Assam commissioner for disaster management P K Tiwari said the additional district commissioner's office and a fire station in Cachar were damaged.
A number of buildings suffered cracks in Assam's Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts.
In Imphal, a market exclusively run by women was damaged. The wall of Congress MLA N Biren Singh's residence at Kangla collapsed.
The Manipur Press Club building in Imphal developed huge cracks. A road leading to the Leimakhing Army base was damaged in many places.

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