Quake hits northeast India, neighbouring countries

Agartala/Aizawl, May 12: A strong quake rocked the entire northeastern and eastern India and adjoining countries on Tuesday, a meteorology department official said. There are no immediate reports of loss of life or damage to properties from anywhere in the northeastern region, comprising eight states. "A powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hit most parts Nepal, northeastern and eastern states, Myanmar and Bangladesh," Tripura meteorological department director Dilip Saha told IANS in Agartala. "The tremors were felt in between 12.35 p.m. and 12.39 p.m. Reports of any loss of life and property are yet to be received," he added. Hundreds of panicky people came out of their homes and workplaces and moved on to nearby open spaces. Disaster management control rooms of Tripura, Mizoram and other states in mountainous northeast said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property. The meteorological office said the epicentre of the fresh earthquake was in Nepal. "The shakes were also felt in most of the eastern states, Bangladesh and Myanmar," the official said. The northeastern region, comprising eight mountainous states, is considered the sixth major earthquake-prone belt (zone five) in the world.