Earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale jolts Meghalaya

New Delhi: A moderate intensity earthquake, measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale, hit Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills region and adjoining Assam districts on Monday evening, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said.

The NCS said that the moderate intensity tremor, which struck at 6.15 p.m. on Monday evening, was strongly felt in North Garo Hills and adjoining West and East Garo Hills districts, as well as adjacent areas of Assam.

The quake struck at a depth of 10 km from the surface.

The Meghalaya Disaster Management Authority said that there was no immediate report of any casualty or damage to property. Successive earthquakes in the mountainous northeastern states, especially in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, have kept the authorities worried, forcing them to build quake-protective structures.

Seismologists consider the northeastern region as the sixth most earthquake-prone belt in the world.

Moderate tremors were reported from at least two districts in North Bengal — Malda and Cooch Behar — on Monday evening.

Although no casualties or damage to property have been reported from these two districts, the tremors, which were felt at around 6.15 p.m., created panic among the local people.

As per the versions of the local people, first a mild jerk following a vibration was felt which sustained for a few seconds.

As per the latest report available, mild tremors could also be felt in certain pockets in other districts of North Bengal like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur.

As the tremors were felt in these districts, people came out of their houses into the open. The women could be seen blowing conches, which is a traditional practice in the event of an earthquake.

The last time tremors were felt West Bengal was in August this year, in Kolkata and its adjacent North 24 Parganas district.

Also read: Earthquake Magnitude Of 3.1 Jolts Assam’s Dhubri District