Manipur Quake: Death Toll Reaches 9 in India, 3 in Bangladesh
A 6.7 magnitude earthquake hits Manipur. Nine deaths have been confirmed and many injured. Rescue has begun in Imphal
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- Three people have dead and 40 others injured in Bangladesh, reports PTI
- Nine people have reportedly been killed in India and nearly 200 people injured, says Reuters.
- The 6.7 magnitude quake struck 29 kilometres (18 miles) west of Imphal, the capital of Manipur.
- Tremors were also felt in Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar.
- Efforts to rescue those trapped in rubble hampered by severed power supplies and telecommunication links.
- Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh inspect destruction and meet Manipur CM.
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh visits earthquake victims.
Home Minister Visits Earthquake Victims
Home Minister Rajnath Singh visits Guwahati Medical College(GMC) to meet the earthquake affected victims in city.
Ministers Meet to Discuss the Way Forward
Union Minister Jitendra SIngh met earthquake victims at a hospital in Imphal. ANI reports that during his visit, Jitendra Singh said that the central assistance is very liberal with the Prime Minister taking cognisance of the situation. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Kiren Rijiju, conducted an aerial survey of the areas affected by the earthquake in Imphal.
Later today, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju and MoS PMO Jitendra SIngh met Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to discuss the matter.
ANI reports that the Manipur government has decided that all private and government schools will remain closed for one week.
Meghalaya Reviews Quake-Preparedness
The Meghalaya government reviewed the state’s preparedness after a 6.7 magnitude tremor shook the region at dawn.
He said a detailed report is awaited from installations in remote areas of the state. Indicating that there was no report of any casualty on account of the earthquake, Warjri said a review meeting between line departments was held early today wherein impact reports were sought.
United States Geological Survey(USGC) reported that the epicentre was 29 km west of Imphal, Manipur.
Two Dead, 40 Injured as Quake Jolts Bangladesh
PTIhas reported that at least two people were killed and 100 others were injured in Dhaka as the massive earthquake jolted north-eastern region of India.
The Earthquake Disaster Risk Index of Stanford University ranks Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka among the 20 cities most vulnerable to earthquakes in the world.
Nine After-Shocks Recorded in North-East: Reports
The Hindu has reported that nine aftershocks including a 3.6 magnitude tremor were recorded by the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute’s broadband seismological network, which is installed in the North-east region.
One AN-32 and one Avro of Indian Air Force are on the way to Imphal from Guwahati with the NDRF team.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh visits the injured at RIMS Hospital in Imphal.
“We have to fight back such situation. PM and Home Minister have assured all possible help,” Singh said.
Rahul Gandhi Urges Congress Workers to Help
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to the victims of the Manipur earthquake via Twitter.
Facebook Safety Check
Facebook has now activated its safety check feature for the Manipur earthquake.
Minister of State Home Kiren Rijiju will visit Manipur later today to review the situation.
The National Crisis Management Committee meeting is also currently underway.
To recap, over 6 people have been killed and over a hundred injured in the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern and northeastern parts of India at around 4:35 am on Monday. Rescue efforts are underway.
Fresh Tremors Felt
Fresh tremors measuring 3.6 on Richter Scale at 9:27 am in Manipur, reports PTI.
Nearly 100 have been injured, reports Reuters, though the toll was expected to rise, with rescue efforts hampered by severed power supplies and telecommunication links.
Reports state that Home Minister of State Kiren Rijiju is scheduling a visit to Manipur to witness the conditions post-earthquake.
Additonally, Assam Commissioner and Secretary (Disaster Management) Pramod Kumar Tiwari said that, many people got injured as they were running out of their homes. Cracks have been reported on over 20 buildings but this number is expected to increase.
The quake struck while many residents were asleep, and roofs and staircases of some buildings collapsed in the city of about 270,000 people.
Residents of Imphal said people fled their homes and power and telecoms links were down in the remote region.
Nearly 45 Injured; NCMC to Meet To Assess Situation
The National Crisis Management Committee has scheduled a meeting at 10:30 am to assess the current situation in Northeast India.
Additionally, PM Modi tweeted that he has had a telephone conversation with Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to discuss the post-earthquake situation in the state and the region.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has said there is continous communication with the Manipur governement, and the National Disaster Management Authority is monitoring and coordinating all relief activities.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh says he has spoken to the Assam Chief Minister and Manipur Chief Secretary regarding the post-earthquake situation and assured them of all possible help.
Meanwhile, the number of injured has risen to 40-45 people.
Death Toll at 6, NDRF Teams Rushed
The Indian Meteorological Department reported a major earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter Scale in the eastern and north-eastern part of India.
The death toll has risen to six and 35 people have been injured in Imphal, reports ANI.
Two NDRF teams comprising 90 members have been rushed to Imphal from Guwahati. More teams in Delhi, Chandigarh and Guwahati asked to be on standby, reports CNN-IBN.
The quake occurred at 4.35 am at a depth of 17 km below the ground level. The epicentre is located in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to the Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, who is currently in Assam. He has also spoken with the Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi.
(With inputs from agencies)
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