Imphal/Guwahati : At least eight people were killed and over 100 injured as a strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake epicentred in Manipur on Monday hit the northeastern region and jolted eastern India, damaging buildings and triggering panic. While seven people, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed in Manipur’s Imphal West district, one man died in Bihar’s Kishanganj district. Manipur bore the brunt of the temblor which struck at 4.35 am, where seven persons, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed and at least 50 injured.
The quake struck at 4.35 am with the epicentre at a depth of 17 km in Tamenglong district where many buildings collapsed or developed cracks. But no casualties were reported from Tamenglong. “The epicentre was near the river Barak, so there was little damage. Though cracks have been reported from many houses, so far there has been no report of any casualty,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Joseph Paulin told PTI. All the seven deaths in Manipur were reported from Jiribam area of Imphal West district, state officials said adding the names of the deceased were, however, not immediately available.
