A major earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook parts of Assam on Monday (September 21) at 1423 hours, triggering panic in the region that experienced its fifth tremor in the last 45 days.
Official confirmation from the regional seismological centre in Shillong, capital of Meghalaya is awaited.
US Geological survey reported that the epicentre of the earthquake is Mongar. 180 kms from Thimpu, Bhutan, which is 125 kms north-west from Guwahati. No casualties or injuries were reported. However, witnesses said that they have seen visible cracks on building in Guwahati.
The tremors reportedly lasted for 20 seconds and people experienced two shocks, rattling the structuring and leaving people to storm out of their houses. Meanwhile, reports also suggested that tremors were also felt in parts of North Bengal.
The seven northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur - considered by seismologists as the sixth major earthquake prone belt in the world. The region experienced one of the worst earthquakes, measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale, in 1897 that claimed lives of more than 1,600 people.
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