Earthquake of 5.8 magnitude hits Assam, 2 girls injured
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the situation and assured all support from the Centre
Silchar: Two minor girls sustained injuries after a portion of roof of their house collapsed on them while minor damages were reported at different parts of Assam after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the state on Sunday.
The earthquake occurred around 4.41 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Center for Seismology.
The epicentre was located in Udalguri district, with the quake’s depth being a shallow 5 km.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), there has been no major damage or loss of life reported so far except injury of the two minor girls at Udalgiri and minor damages were found in Biswanath, Darrang, Hojai, Nalbari, Sonitpur and Udalguri.
Most of the damages are non-structural, including ceilings, glass windows and plastered walls. In Nalbari, Hojai and Sonitpur, small structures were partially damaged.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, posting on X (formerly Twitter), said, “An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 has struck Assam today. The epicentre was near Udalguri. So far , there has been no report of any major damage or loss of life. We are actively monitoring the situation.” The magnitude quoted in media posts diverges slightly from official estimates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Assam but had departed for Kolkata before the quake struck. Himanta said that the Prime Minister, after reaching Kolkata, dialed to take stock of the situation.
“Immediately upon his arrival, he called me to enquire about the earthquake and the damages caused. He assured me of all possible support from the Government of India. I thank him for his concern,” Sarma wrote on X.
Though there is no official confirmation of serious damage, social media has shown several videos that suggest minor damage (e.g. cracks in buildings or walls) in some areas. Teams have been deployed to assess the full extent.
Chief minister Sarma further said, “At present, the situation is under control and our teams are on the ground assessing the extent of the damages caused by the earthquake.”
