The tremors that shook North India on Tuesday afternoon were also felt at remote places in Southern and Western India, including many places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
The intensity of the tremor was low as compared to North India and Nepal, where it was measured 7.1 on Richter scale. However, it frightened people staying and working in high rise buildings.
People felt light tremors in the districts of Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari and as far as Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh. The household goods fell from their places. However, no major damage was reported from anywhere. Tremors were also felt Vijaywada, the commercial capital of the State and surrounding areas.
Similarly in Gujarat, the Government employees came out of the secretariat building in Gandhinagar following back to back two tremors at around 12.35 pm. There’s no report of damage to life or property reported in Gujarat
When I was sitting in my chamber, suddenly our building started shaking, said Shirish Kashikar, Director of National Institute of Mass Communication & Journalism (NIMCJ), adding, “Our institute is on fourth floor. Students were in the classes. As I felt the effect of tremor I rushed to the classrooms and alerted students to run out of the building.” Same was the case with many offices in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and other parts of the State.
While, at least 25 people were injured as several parts of Bengal particularly the northern parts of the State experienced strong tremors with many houses in Siliguri and Darjeeling districts developing cracks.
Though no death has been reported from any part of the State, at least 14 people were injured in South Dinajpur and 7 were hurt at Matigara area of Siliguri. Two persons were injured at Coochbehar, sources said.
People spent several hours on streets in up market Salt lake, Rajarhaat, Ballygunge, Park Street area.
Uttar Pradesh felt powerful tremors which claimed at least three lives, besides leaving about a dozen injured. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was attending a function of the State transport department at his official residence, rushed out of the hall after he was alerted of the tremor.
Talking to journalists, Yadav said that he could not know about the quake but after learning of it through the officials, he left the hall. later an alert was sounded across the State with the CM directing all the administrative officials to be on their toes and forward immediate relief if any untoward incident is reported.
According to reports, one labourer was crushed to death when an under construction building of ‘Cremation House’ collapsed in Panwari in Hamirpur district. In similar incident reported from Reecha area in Mahoba district, a labourer, working during the construction of a terrace of a house died after the entire portion collapsed. One more person was killed in Parthal Village in Sambhal district.