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7 killed as strong quake rocks NE

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 4 - An earthquake measuring 6.7 in the Richter scale rocked the NE region at around 4-35 am today. It was quickly followed by an aftershock measuring 3 in the Richter scale, said sources in the Central Seismological Observatory (CSO) here.

A Press Trust of India (PTI) report said this evening that the earthquake led to the death of seven people, including an eleven-year-old girl in Manipur. Meanwhile, reports from different parts of the region of many people receiving injuries during the earthquake have been received.

The PTI report stated that all the seven cases of death in Manipur have been reported from Jiribum area of Imphal West district, said the report quoting Manipur State Government officials. It also said, quoting Army officials that at least 70 people were injured in Manipur and they have been admitted to the RIMS, JNIMS and Shija Hospital.

The Army and Air Force have been engaged in the relief operations and two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to Imphal, while one NDRF team was deployed in Assam, said the report.

Assam has reported over 50 persons receiving injuries during the earthquake. However, the Assam Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) maintained till this evening that it has not received any report of earthquake-related casualty from any part of the State.

According to CSO sources, the epicentre of the earthquake was located at Latitude 24.8 degree North and Longitude 93.5 degree East in Tamenglong district of Manipur. Its depth was 17 kms below the earth�s surface.

According to a report in the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website, the 6.7 magnitude earthquake near Imphal occurred as the result of strike slip faulting in the complex plate boundary region between India and the Eurasia plate in South East Asia. Focal mechanisms for the event indicate that the slip occurred on either a right-lateral fault plane dipping moderately to the east-northeast, or on a left-lateral fault dipping steeply to the south-southeast.

In the region of the earthquake, the India plate is moving towards the north-northeast direction with respect to Eurasia at a velocity of approximately 48 mm per year, the regional plate boundary in eastern India � the Indo-Burmese Arc � is oriented approximately south-southwest-north-northeast, said the USGS report.

According to the damage report prepared by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) this evening, 40 persons reported at the SM Dev Hospital in Silchar for treatment of major and minor injuries. Cracks also occurred in the Officers� Quarters at SP Road, ADC�s chamber in Unnayan Bhawan at the DC office building and Fire and Emergency Service Station.

Several mud houses in village Dudpatil Part -6 (Sadar Revenue Circle) and village Dudarkush under Sonai Revenue Circle of Cachar district have been affected. Many other buildings, including UBI Lakhipur building, have been partially affected and several mud houses were affected in the Binnakandi area of Lakhipur subdivision.

Minor cracks developed in the buildings of the Deputy Commissioner's (DC's) office and the NEVARD Mental Health Hospital at Bongaigaon under the impact of the tremor.

In Dibrugarh district, cracks have developed in the building of the Assam Medical College and Hospital, Barbarua PHC, DTO Office and Chabua Model Hospital.

In Golaghat district, cracks have developed in the Judicial Court building and the Fire Station building.

In Kamrup (Metro), 14 persons with minor injuries were treated at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital while four other persons with minor injuries were treated at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital.

In Lakhimpur district, cracks developed in the District Library building, while in Morigaon district, cracks developed in a residential building in Jagiroad and in the building of the Morigaon Civil Hospital. In Nagaon district, cracks have developed in some of the Railway quarters at Lumding, Pranab Vidyapeeth School, besides minor cracks developed in the buildings of Nagaon Civil Hospital.

In Sivasagar district, cracks developed in the new building of the Tourism Department, Assistant Labour Commissioner�s Office, residential quarters of the Forest Beat Office, Haluating, said the ASDMA report.

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