Following the disastrous Saturday that has claimed nearly 2,200 lives in the shock sensitive Himalayan zone and its periphery, including Jharkhand so far, fresh tremors were felt on Sunday as well. Most parts of the State, including Ranchi, Dhanbad, Dumka, Sahibganj, lohardaga and other particularly bordering Bihar received seismic waves measuring nearly 3.3 on the Richter scale at around 12.41 pm.
Reacting to the series of aftershocks the State has received in last 24 hours, the Disaster Management Department has sent one team of the National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) to Sahibganj and Godda as a preemptive measure.
"Another aftershock of 3.32 intensity struck the State which was of low intensity in seismic terms. No damage has been reported from any part of the State barring collapse of some houses. Nevertheless, keeping in mind that Godda and Sahibganj districts fall in the seismic zone-II, we have dispatched a team of NDRF as a precautionary measure," said Sanjay Kumar Shrivastava, Deputy Secretary and State Project Officer of the Department on Sunday.
Fresh tremors were felt in the afternoon that was among over 50 other such shock waves received after the ill-fated earthquake hit Nepal and northern part of the country first on Saturday late morning. As per information coming from Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, its Department of Applied Geophysics has recorded as many as 52 aftershocks since the disaster.
Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Department, acting on the directions coming from the Centre, has set up several monitoring centres at various districts falling in zones II, III and IV. "The centres are functional at all the sensitive zones falling in Jharkhand despite the State having bracketed a relatively safe zone overall.
The Department is open and working on Sunday and we are keeping a close watch on the fresh tremors coming. There is an integrated network formed with Delhi," added Shrivastava. Repeated attempts to contact Deputy Commissioners of Godda and Sahibganj turned futile whereas Public Relation Officer of the latter feigned ignorance. "I have no information. It is Sunday and I am out of station," replied the official.
Moreover, Godda Deputy Development Commissioner Pawan Kumar admitted that some reports of damage caused to properties had come and the DC office was looking at all the necessary preparations. "We have reports about collapsing of two houses. No casualty has so far been reported here," said the DDC. The Department, looking at the frequency of the aftershocks, is not ruling out the possibility of more such tremors in the next 24 hours.
"No predication can be done but it always happens that after such a big earthquake, several aftershocks come. We are ready for more like those have been received so far. Necessary directions have been issued to all the districts," added Shrivastava.