Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Jolts Northeast India; Tremors Felt Across Region
Tremors extended to Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal’s border areas, and even Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of Tibet.
GUWAHATI- A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Assam’s Sonitpur district this afternoon, triggering strong tremors across the Northeast and neighboring countries. The quake, recorded at 4:41 p.m. IST by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), had its epicenter near Dhekiajuli, at a shallow depth of just 5–10 km.
Residents in Guwahati, Tezpur, Udalguri, Nagaon, and Kokrajhar rushed outdoors as furniture shook, walls cracked, and power disruptions were reported amid heavy rains. Viral videos on social media showed panicked crowds gathering in open spaces, while a Tezpur resident captured footage of a house wall splitting from ceiling to floor.
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Tremors extended to Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal’s border areas, and even Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of Tibet. Japanese meteorological agency Weathernews also flagged the quake’s regional impact.
Preliminary assessments by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported no major casualties or widespread damage, though minor cracks and debris were noted in rural Sonitpur.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged calm, advising residents to avoid elevators and remain in open spaces while monitoring for aftershocks. “Teams are on high alert; please follow safety protocols,” he said in a post.
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Seismologists linked the tremor to the tectonically active Himalayan belt, where the Indian plate continues to push under the Eurasian plate, making Northeast India one of the world’s most quake-prone regions. Classified under Zone V, the highest risk category on India’s seismic map, the region has seen multiple moderate quakes in recent weeks.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed for rapid surveys, with helplines activated. Officials warned of possible aftershocks—two minor ones were recorded within an hour—and urged residents to keep emergency kits ready.
