Powerful quake hits Assam, tremors felt across northeast, Bengal

Guwahati:  At least 10 persons were injured as a powerful earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale jolted Assam, other northeastern states and adjoining North Bengal, while 10 aftershocks were recorded in the hours after the first quake which shook Sonitpur in northern Assam at 7.51 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the tremors were also felt in North Bengal and other northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Bhutan.
As per the disaster management officials in Guwahati, there are reports of damage to buildings, roads and some other infrastructure in different parts of Sonitpur, Tezpur, Nagaon, Morigaon and adjoining areas. Detailed reports are awaited.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Assam Disaster Management Authority, G.D. Tripathi, said that no human casualty has been reported yet but 10 persons were injured in Darrang, Kamrup Metro, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts.
The official said that several apartments, buildings and hotels developed cracks. Electricity and gas supply were disrupted in some places.
The NCS data said that after the first quake, 10 aftershocks of magnitude 2.9 to 4.7 on the Richter scale were recorded over the next around 10 hours (until 5.40 p.m.) in the vicinity of Sonitpur, Nagaon, Morigaon, Darrang, Kamrup Metro districts.