GUWAHATI: An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale has hit Kokrajar in Assam at around 10.20 AM Wednesday. Areas of the Northeast, West Bengal and Bangladesh felt light tremors.
Earthquakes of magnitudes 5 to 5.9 on Richter scale are considered moderate earthquake which can cause slight damage to buildings.
The Central Seismological Observatory in Shillong said the epicentre of the earthquake was two kilometres northwest of Assam’s Kokrajhar town and at a depth of 10 km.Tremors were also felt in Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
In Bihar, tremors were felt in Patna, Araria, Kishanganj, Munger, Bhagalpur, Saharsa, Madhepura, and Begusarai. The earthquake was also felt in Jharkhand’s Dumka, Sahibganj, Pakur, and Godda districts.
Earthquake tremors were felt in almost the whole of West Bengal, including Kolkata as well as Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Malda and Mushidabad.
People rushed out of their houses and offices in Guwahati and other areas, officials said, adding that there were no reports of loss of life or damage to property.
Two low-intensity earthquakes of magnitude 4.6 and 3.1 hit Jammu and Kashmirand Haryana’s Jhajjar respectively.
Earthquakes may strike at anytime, anywhere. Protect yourself and your family by having an earthquake readiness plan in place. Here are some tips for your earthquake readiness plan.
- Take some time to discuss evacuation with your family. Sketch a floor plan of your home; walk through each room and discuss evacuation details.
- Plan a second way to exit each room or area. If special equipment is needed, mark where it is located.
- Mark where your emergency food, water, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers are located.
- Store a type-ABC fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location.
- Mark where the utility switches or valves are located, and learn how to turn off your gas and water mains, as well as electricity.
- Indicate the location of your family’s emergency outdoor meeting place.
- Keep several flashlights in easily accessible places around the house.
- Keep a wrench or turn-off tool in waterproof wrap near the gas meter.
- Know whether you live, work or play in a tsunami hazard zone.
- Keep a flashlight, slippers and gloves next to beds.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full.
- Determine safe spaces away from windows in each room of your home. Choose spots where it is unlikely something will fall on you.
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Prepare a disaster kit. Stock up on canned food, a first-aid kit, 3 gallons of water per person, dust masks, goggles, battery-operated radio and flashlights.
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Avoid making these mistakes during an earthquake
Experts at the University of Washington and most rescuers caution against making these mistakes during an earthquake:
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Do Not run outside or to other rooms during the shaking. An earthquake’s shaking can cause you to fall down. You may also run into flying and falling objects that could cause serious injury.
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Do NOT stand in a doorway. Doorways in modern homes are not stronger than other parts of the house, contrary to widely-held belief. In a doorway, you’re also at risk of being struck by falling or flying objects, the most common source of earthquake injuries.
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Do NOT get in the “triangle of life” (getting next to a table rather than under it). Experts argue that “triangle of life” recommendations are based on wrong assumptions about what actually happens during an earthquake and it unpredictability. The safest bet to get underneath a table or desk.
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