Magnitude Quake With 35 Miles Deep Strikes NorthEast India, Bangladesh

The quake – which reportedly lasted as long as 60 seconds – occurred while many people were asleep.

Accompanied by Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Rijiju also met Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh. “We have to create awareness among people not to panic, but to act in a calm and composed manner when an quake strikes”, said Tarun Gogoi, chief minister of Assam.

Unicef is monitoring the situation for children in India following a 6.8 magnitude natural disaster that has struck the north-eastern state of Manipur, near to the border with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The Centre will provide all necessary help and support to Manipur and other affected states, the Union Home minister said. At least 43 people have also been reported injured, home ministry spokesman Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia told CNN.

About 100 people received injuries and of them 33 were in serious condition and admitted to different hospitals in Manipur, official sources said.

Six were killed in India, the government said, while three people died in Bangladesh after suffering strokes or heart attacks following the early-morning quake. Several building in Imphal, including the market complex, and roads developed cracks while walls of some school buildings gave way, officils said. The damage was limited as the region is dotted with small houses with few tall buildings.

“We haven’t seen any help from the government side”, said disaster volunteer worker Kanarjit Kangujam.

However, police and fire officials said there were no immediate reports of any big damage.

The India Meteorological Department placed the epicenter of the quake in the Tamenglong region of Manipur state, at a depth of about about 10 miles.

NDMA spoke to the control room/relief commissioners of all the states in the North-East- Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland as well as West Bengal.

Two teams of NDRF teams have reached to Imphal for immediately relief.

Residents say power and telecom links were down in a region, while many fled from their homes.

Seven persons, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed inImphal West district from where most casualties were reported, state officials said.

The Home Minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone about the situation and the steps taken for rescue and relief.