New Delhi: At least 18 people have been killed, 13 in India and five in Nepal, and over 100 are injured after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale shook Sikkim this evening. Strong tremors were also felt in parts of North and East India and parts of Bangladesh and Nepal, causing widespread panic. The epicentre of the quake is said to be just 64 kilometres North-West of Gangtok. (First Pictures)
Seven people, including two Armymen, were killed in Sikkim and 33 others received injuries there. In Bihar, a seven-year-old girl was among two dead. Four more died in West Bengal. Of the five people killed in Nepal, three casualties were reported from Kathmandu, where the British embassy collapsed and smashed a car. Tremors were felt in Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, New Delhi and the National Capital Region, which sent thousands of people running out of their homes. (Forum: Did you feel the tremors?)
Three aftershocks, of magnitude 5.7, 5.1 and 4.6 were also felt in Sikkim, says the India Meteorological Department. (Buzz on Twitter)
Many buildings in Sikkim developed cracks, including the Sikkim Manipal University building.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has launched search and rescue operations in the Pegong area of north Sikkim which has been "badly affected." The ITBP rescued 15 foreign tourists and 150 villagers in their operations. They have been moved to battalion headquarters. Rescue operations are, however, being hampered by heavy rainfall and landslides. (Read: ITBP rescue 15 tourists, 150 villagers)
Apart from five civilians, two Army personnel have also died in Sikkim. There has also been extensive damage to Army structures in North Sikkim. One Army bus and several Army vehicles are also missing in the region. Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed to Sikkim and five more teams were being sent from Kolkata, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth told reporters after a meeting of top officials in Delhi convened on the direction of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The PM has also spoken to Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and offered help. (Read: PM orders meeting of disaster authority)
10 engineer columns are moving from Siliguri to clear the four blockages in the Siliguri-Gangtok route. Large amount of civilians have been accommodated in Kalimpong in West Bengal and other places in Sikkim. There is no electricity in Gangtok and Darjeeling. Telephone lines have also snapped in some parts of Sikkim; phone lines are congested in West Bengal. (Read: Many hurt in Bengal, power supply disrupted)
Five Indian Air Force planes have also been pressed into action for relief operations. Small Army columns in Sikkim have also been mobilised post the earthquake. The quake comes just days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana's Sonepat district, sending tremors in New Delhi. (Read: Sikkim quake is India's fourth this September)
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