16 dead in Bihar as death toll continues to climb.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: The prediction of seismologists regarding possibilities of more earthquakes in the Himalayan region came true as Nepal and India felt heavy tremors on Tuesday, killing 42 people and injuring more than a thousand, with the death toll climbing up steadily.
India was hit by two earthquakes with epicenters in Nepal and Afghanistan, killing 18 people. The highest casualties are being reported from Bihar, where 16 people are reportedly dead. There are also unconfirmed reports about two deaths in the state of Utter Pradesh.
Quakes were felt at around 12.35 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) on Tuesday, in Nepal, China, India and Afghanistan. There are also reports about another earthquake with epicenter in Indonesia.
Tremors were felt in all north Indian states, including the capital city of New Delhi. People working in offices were asked to rush out of buildings and schools were closed after the city felt the tremor at around 12.35 pm. Delhi metro rail services were called off as authorities feared more aftershocks. People in Delhi experienced two tremors which lasted for at least 60 seconds before calming down.
An emergency meeting with top officials was convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess the situation. He also tweeted saying that he has directed all concerned authorities to be on alert for carrying out rescue and relief operations, as required.
According to the US Geological Survey, four high intensity earthquakes shook Nepal today with epicenter in Kathmandu and Mount Everest, with one of them measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale. The epicentres of both quakes were shallow (just 15 km deep) which is more deadly than the ones that happen deep under as more energy is released focusing on a very small region.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has started 24 hour helpline numbers : +977 985-110-7021, +977 985-113-5141.
State-wide assessment in India of the earthquake
As of now, out of the 18 people killed in India, 16 of them hail from Bihar, which was one of the worst affected states in the April 25 earthquake that took the life of 80 people.
Utter Pradesh also felt heavy tremors due to the closeness with the epicenter. As of now, two incidents of death have been reported from the state.
Tremors were felt in the capital city of Delhi and the buildings reportedly swayed for at least 60 seconds. Office staff in multi-storied buildings were asked to evacuate and were advised not to take elevators.
Most parts of Odisha also felt the tremor, triggering panic among people who rushed out of their houses and buildings.
Moderate jolts were felt in Chhattisgarh but there are no reports about causalities or damage to the buildings.
Gujarat, which was the epicentre of 2001 earthquake that killed 19,000 people was panic stricken as places, including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat and Vadodara experienced tremors today. People were seen rushing out of high rise buildings and schools were shut down for the day. However, no damage has been reported from the state as of now.
Going down to the south of India, mild tremors were felt in some parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. According to reports Valasaeavakkam, Santhome and Kodambakkam areas of Tamil Nadu felt minor tremors in the afternoon. A video footage of Manorama News shows that some of places in Kochi also felt minor tremors.
According to geological experts, today’s earthquake has registered changes in the Richter scale in states across India but, these are very minor tremors that often go undetected. People inside buildings with deep piling could have experienced the quake, which is normal.