Tremors force residents out of houses in tricity

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 6

Tricity residents experienced tremors that were a fallout of an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquake was said to be in Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand.

A wave of shock and confusion engulfed the tricity at 10.33 pm as residents felt the earth shaking for around 30 seconds. 

It did not take much time for residents to realise that it was an earthquake and people immediately ran out of buildings.

As the tremors began, phones started ringing incessantly as people tried to get in touch with their dear ones, warning them to move out of buildings. “I initially took it lightly when my wife told me that she felt tremors, but when I heard people from the first floor rushing down, we, too, rushed out immediately,” said Nitin Khanna, a private bank employee in Sector 8, Panchkula.

“I was in the kitchen when I felt my head spinning. It was only after a few seconds that I realised that it was an earthquake. I instantly woke up my son and rushed out immediately,” said Deepti Mehta, a resident of Sector 24, Chandigarh.

There was panic among those residing on top floors. “We were having dinner when I felt the table shake. Then I heard my neighbours rush downstairs. My husband and I rushed down too,” said Shukla Rao, a banker from Zirakpur who lives on the fifth floor.

Immediately after the earthquake, people updated their Facebook and Twitter status. Meanwhile, no loss to life or property was reported from the tricity till the filing of this report.