Kolkata, 12 November (H.S.) : Tremors of an earthquake were felt across a large part of North Bengal, including Darjeeling and Siliguri, early Thursday morning. According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake occurred at around 4:30 AM, with its impact clearly felt in the Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Jalpaiguri districts. Besides West Bengal, the earth also shook in parts of Sikkim, Bihar, Nepal, and Bhutan.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located in neighboring Nepal, in an area adjacent to the Sikkim border. Its depth was reported to be approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Yuksom in Sikkim. This proximity is the reason why the tremors were felt across a vast area of Sikkim, as well as in the two hill districts of West Bengal, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Reports suggest that mild tremors were also experienced in some areas of Bangladesh.

Since the earthquake struck in the early hours of the morning, most people were asleep. However, those who were awake distinctly felt the vibrations. The sudden shaking of the earth triggered panic among many, forcing them to rush out of their homes for safety. Despite the tremors being felt over a widespread area, there has been no official report of any loss of life or significant damage to property due to this earthquake originating in Nepal.

It is worth noting that this region of North Bengal has experienced earthquake tremors in the past as well. Earlier this year in June, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Bhutan shook the earth in North Bengal. At that time, the epicenter of the earthquake was about 22 kilometers away from the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu, and its impact was felt in several border areas of India, China, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Along with North Bengal, tremors were also felt in Assam and Meghalaya during that incident.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh