Earthquake Hits India

An Earthquake hits North India today at 6:10PM ..The epicentre was 64 kilometres from Gangtok and measures 6.8 on Richter Scale and were felt for almost 30 seconds. ..Mild tremors were felt in Delhi and other parts of North India. Tremors were felt in Patna, Uttar Pradesh,Tripura and West Bengal also.At least seven people in India's Sikkim state were killed and an unspecified number of people were injured, state police chief Jasbir Singh told Associated Press. Nepal's government said five people died and dozens were hurt there. Edited by gaurav_fan - 12 years ago

NEW DELHI—An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 hit northeastern India on Sunday near the border with Nepal. Reports said several people were injured and some buildings fell in the capital of India's Sikkim state.

The quake, centered in Sikkim, was felt over a broad area. It triggered at least two aftershocks of magnitude 6.1 and 5.3, Indian seismology official R.S. Dattatreyan said. He warned that more aftershocks were possible.

Regional TV station NewsLive reported that some buildings collapsed in Sikkim's state capital of Gangtok.

It said several people were rushed to hospitals but gave no further details. Calls to city officials, police and hospitals didn't go through.

In neighboring Nepal and Bangladesh, the quake sent residents rushing out of their homes, offices and shopping centers.

Members of parliament who were debating the national budget in Katmandu, Nepal's capital, ran out of the assembly hall into a parking area. They returned 15 minutes later and resumed their session. Elsewhere in the city, police said four people were hurt when a wall collapsed but their injuries weren't serious.

Initial reports said the earthquake damaged some houses in northeastern Nepal near the epicenter but details were sketchy.Edited by gaurav_fan - 12 years ago

Strong quake hits northeastern India; 9 dead

GAUHATI, India (AP) — A strong earthquake shook northeastern India and Nepal on Sunday night, killing at least nine people, damaging buildings and sending lawmakers in Nepal's capital running into the streets.

The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9, was felt across northeast India including the capital of New Delhi. It triggered at least two aftershocks of magnitude 6.1 and 5.3, Indian seismology official R.S. Dattatreyan said. He warned more aftershocks were possible.

At least four people in India's Sikkim state were killed and an unspecified number of people were injured, state police Chief Jasbir Singh told The Associated Press. Nepal's government said five people died and dozens were hurt there.

The full extent of damage was not immediately known because the region is sparsely populated with many living in remote areas which were cut off by mudslides triggered by the quake, Singh said.

TV stations reported buildings collapsed and sidewalks cracked in Sikkim's state capital of Gangtok, 42 miles (68 kilometers) southeast of the quake's epicenter. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police said two of its buildings had collapsed in Gangtok.

Rescuers were working overnight to search for anyone pinned under fallen buildings in the city, which has a population of 50,000, Singh said.

"We have sounded a high alert. Police are on the streets in Gangtok and other major towns," he said.

Electricity and some phone service was interrupted in the area.

Power lines snapped in the West Bengal cities of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which "are now in total darkness," state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered to send troops to help, and summoned the National Disaster Management Authority for an emergency meeting. The air force sent five planes to help with rescue efforts.

In neighboring Nepal and Bangladesh, the quake sent residents rushing out of their homes, offices and shopping centers.

In Nepal's capital of Katmandu, members of parliament who were debating the national budget ran out of the assembly hall into a parking area. They returned 15 minutes later and resumed their session.

The quake was also felt as far as the Indian capital, with New Delhi residents also rushing out of shaking buildings.

___

Associated Press writers Binaj Gurubacharya in Katmandu, Nepal, and Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report.

___________

http://in.news.yahoo.com/strong-quake-hits-northeastern-india-9-dead-155216509.html

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those that were affected by this earthquake.

My deep condolences go out to those that may have been injured or perished in wake of mother nature. May god give their families a lot of strengh.

Mother nature has been very cruel lately.

Lastly thank you for this thread!

I'm just appalled by the number of natural disasters that have affected people all over the world in the past few years... it's extremely sad and I hope everyone comes together in these hard times to support those that have been affected by the disasters.

You all are in my thoughts and deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May they rest in peace.

Hope everyone is fine and pray for them
im from Nepal..hope my relatives are doing good over there
will pray for all of them..
god bless us.

my prayes for them... Hope every thing will be fine..

My prayers are with the affected families...

Oh Allah,Wishing everyone the best, and be careful

I too experienced this and just pray for all. R.I.P for all those who lost their lives in this disaster.
May god bless all!