5.8 earthquake jolts India’s Assam, Tremors felt in north Bengal, Bhutan

An earthquake of 5.8 magnitude struck parts of the north-east of India on Sunday (September 14), officials said.

There was no immediate report of any loss of life or damage to property, they said.

The epicentre of the earthquake that took place at 4.41 pm on Sunday, was in Udalguri district, the officials said.

The depth of the quake was 5 km.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, said, “The epicentre (of the earthquake) was near Udalguri. So far, there has been no report of any major damage or loss of life. We are actively monitoring the situation.”

Residents of Udalguri, Sonitpur, Tamulpur, Nalbari and several other districts in Assam felt the tremors.

Panic-gripped people were seen rushing out of their residences in Guwahati.

People of the western parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and north Bengal also felt the jolt in addition to residents of some parts of Bhutan.

Residents in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital Itanagar ran out of their houses and shops in panic.

According to state disaster management secretary Dani Sulu, no reports of structural damage or casualties have been reported from the state so far.

“The situation is being closely monitored, but there is no cause for alarm,” he said.

The northeastern states fall in the high seismic zone, and earthquakes frequently hit the region.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also in Assam on a two-day visit, during which he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth about ₹18,531 crore to enhance connectivity, healthcare, and industrial growth in the Northeast.

- Agencies