5-8-magnitude-earthquake-jolts-northeast-northern-bengal

A strong tremor measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale rattled the northeast and parts of northern West Bengal on Sunday evening, sending residents rushing into the streets in panic. The quake, which struck at 4.41 pm, had its epicentre in Assam’s Udalguri district, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

 

The jolt, shallow at just 5 km depth, was felt across Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Bengal, but officials confirmed that no casualties or structural damage had been reported so far.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier been in Assam to inaugurate development projects worth more than ₹18,000 crore, though his visit concluded hours before the quake.

 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, reassured citizens: “The epicentre (of the earthquake) was near Udalguri. So far, there has been no report of any major damage or loss of life. We are actively monitoring the situation.”

 

Panic spread swiftly in Guwahati, where families abandoned their homes to gather in open spaces. Residents of Sonitpur, Tamulpur, Nalbari and adjoining districts also reported the tremors. “I could feel the earth shaking for a few seconds. I rushed out of my house as a precautionary measure,” said Bikash Dey from Siliguri.

Also read: Earthquake of 7.4 magnitude hits east coast of Russia

 

In Arunachal Pradesh, jolts were recorded in western districts and in the capital, Itanagar. People fled their homes and shops, fearing a stronger shock. Dani Sulu, secretary of the state disaster management department, said: “The situation is being closely monitored, but there is no cause for alarm.” He added that no casualties or structural damage had been reported.

 

Manipur’s western districts also felt the quake, though there were no reports of damage. In several parts of north Bengal, including Jalpaiguri, Dooars, Alipurduar and Coochbehar, families followed traditional practices such as blowing conch shells, a ritual believed to soften the quake’s impact.

 

Officials said monitoring would continue through the night as the northeast lies in one of the most seismically active zones in the world, prone to frequent tremors.