Sign in

Earthquake measuring 4.9 jolts northeast India

An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale shook India's northeast on Wednesday, officials said.

Updated on: Aug 19, 2009, 18:19:34 IST
IANS | By , Guwahati
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale shook India's northeast on Wednesday, officials said.

HT Image
HT Image

An official at the regional seismological centre in Shillong, capital of Meghalaya, said the tremor took place at 4.15 pm and had its epicentre along Sonitpur in northern Assam, about 180 km from Assam's main city of Guwahati.

The quake shook houses and other structures in Assam and adjoining Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.

People ran out of their homes and offices with the tremor lasting for about 15 seconds.

"There has been no immediate report of damage caused by the quake," officials said.

The seven northeastern states -- Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur -- considered by seismologists as the sixth major earthquake prone belt in the world, experienced India's worst earthquake, measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale, in 1897, killing 1,600 people.

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