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Another tremor jolts northeast, Monday's quake toll 11

Another earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale shook India's northeast and adjoining Myanmar early on Tuesday.

Updated on: Sep 22, 2009 11:14 AM IST
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Another earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale shook India's northeast and adjoining Myanmar early on Tuesday.

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HT Image

The death toll in Monday's tremor in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan rose to 11, officials said.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake rocked parts of India's northeast at 1.08 am on Tuesday with the epicentre located along Myanmar.

The tremor was experienced in the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, besides Myanmar.

This is the second quake to have rocked the region in less than 12 hours -- after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake at 2.23 pm on Monday rocked Bhutan and India's northeast.

"There are no immediate reports of any damage to lives and properties in Tuesday's earthquake, although people panicked and ran out of their homes with Monday's high intensity quake still fresh in their minds," said a disaster management official here.

Bhutanese officials added that the death toll in Monday's earthquake in Bhutan had gone up to 11 with an injured victim succumbing overnight.

There were three Indians among those killed in Bhutan - falling boulders in the eastern district of Samdrup Jongkhar hit them and their bodies have been handed over to Indian authorities in the northeastern state of Assam.

Eight people died after buildings collapsed in two regions east of capital Thimphu, Tenzing said.

"Rescue teams are working overtime to assess the damage and look for people trapped or injured," the Bhutanese official said.

The quake sent boulders down hillsides in eastern Bhutan, blocking roads to remote, hilly regions. Homes and monasteries were also damaged.

"Some of the monasteries were damaged and monks and other people simply fled the worship places out of fear," said T. Dorji, a resident of Trashigang district in eastern Bhutan.

"There are reports of landslides in some areas and power and telecommunications networks have been disrupted in eastern districts of Bhutan," Bhutan's Home Minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorji said.

Strong tremors lasting up to 20 seconds Monday were experienced Guwahati, the main city of Assam, where nervous residents ran into the streets.

Cracks appeared in several buildings in the city but there was no serious damage, witnesses said.

Tuesday's tremor is the sixth since August 11 to have hit the northeastern region.

 
Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.
Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.
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