An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit Assam on Sunday, with tremors being felt in West Bengal and in Bhutan, according to officials. It must be noted that Assam lies in a high-risk seismic zone and has seen frequent earthquakes in the past.
However, no loss of life or any damages have been reported so far. The epicentre of the quake, which hit at a depth of 5 km, was in Udalguri and had a latitude of 26.78 N and a longitude of 92.33 E, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The earthquake triggered panic among the people, especially in Assam, with many of them stepping out of their homes for safety. According to officials, the disaster management teams are actively monitoring the situation. “So far, there have been no reports of injuries, but our teams remain on alert to evaluate any potential damage,” a senior official stated.
Politicians pray for safety of people
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in an ‘X’ (previously Twitter) post, said the epicenter of the quake was Udalguri, but no loss of life was reported. He further said that his government is monitoring the situation. “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,” he posted.
In an ‘X’ post, Union Minister and former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal prayed for the safety of everyone and urged the people to stay alert following the earthquake. “Major earthquake in Assam. My prayers for everyone’s safety and well-being. Urge all to stay alert!” he said.
Congress leader Bhupen Kumar Borah shared a video on ‘X’, showing the intensity of the earthquake. “An earthquake struck Guwahati today. Sharing a glimpse from my residence — this flower tub alone is enough to show how powerful the tremors were,” he said.
