Moderate 5.4 magnitude earthquake jolts Northeast

A moderate earthquake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, rocked the north-eastern states on Tuesday, an official said.

A moderate earthquake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, rocked the north-eastern states on Tuesday, an official said.

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district on Tuesday. (File photo)

The tremor was felt at 1.12 p.m. with its epicentre located in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district, said an official of the Regional Seismological Centre in Shillong.

“We felt the earthquake in the district, but we have no immediate reports of any casualty or damage,” East Garo Hills deputy commissioner Cyril Diengdoh told IANS.

“I have alerted all the BDOs (Block development officers) to send me an immediate report,” he said.

Seven of the north-eastern states -- Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur -- are considered by seismologists as the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world.