Earthquake: 34 dead in India; Bihar reports highest casualties

New Delhi, April 25

At least 34 people were killed and over 100 were injured when a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale shook large parts of northern and eastern India, damaging houses and buildings and creating panic among people.

(see video: Nepal Earthquake: 34 dead, over 100 injured in India)

Tremors of the massive quake, with had its epicentre at Lamjung, around 80 kilometers northwest of Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu, were felt in most places in North and Northeast India, including Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Guwahati, Kolkata and Jaipur.

At 23, the toll was highest in Bihar, which adjoins Nepal. The destruction and deaths in the earthquake comes on the heels of a devastating storm that left 57 dead and many homeless in the state. Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal saw eight and three fatalities, respectively.

There are reports of  people  being injured 48 in Bihar, six in Uttar Pradesh and three in West Bengal.   Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said two persons had died in Darjeeling and one in Jalpaiguri district.

Official sources said at least 69 people were injured in three places of Malda district of West Bengal when students of two schools and people inside a bank tried to rush out when the quake struck.

Thirty-three students were injured at BSB High School at Bhado while trying to run out of the school when the quake struck, Chanchol sub divisional officer Ponnam Balam S, said. Of these,             30 were admitted to Ratua hospital, while the remaining were taken to Malda Medical College Hospital, the SDO said.

In a similar incident, 10 students, including three girls, were injured at Naimouja High School at Sujapur, Kaliachak II BDO Pema Chuki Thsering said. Headmaster of the school, who fell sick after hearing the news, had to be hospitalised along with the students.

A portion of the school's staircase collapsed in the incident, Thsering said.

Twenty-five were injured at Bangitola in Malda district when panic-stricken people ran towards the door of a nationalised bank and fell down, officials said.

Twelve of them were hospitalised, the officials said, adding that the injured included both customers and bank employees.

In Sikkim, the earthquake triggered landlsides in various parts of the mountain state, official sources said. But there was no report of loss of life so far, they said.

PM convenes high-level meeting           

In the wake of the massive earthquake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke to the chief ministers of various states and convened a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation.

The Prime Minister, who is keeping a close watch on the situation, spoke to chief ministers of Bihar, Sikkim, UP, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

"We are in the process of finding more information and are working to reach out to those affected, both at home & in Nepal," Modi tweeted immediately after the quake whose epicentre was in Nepal and measured 7.9 on the Richter scale.

The Prime Minister has convened a high-level meeting with Ministers & top officials at 3 PM in the wake of the situation arising due to the earthquake.

A strong quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale shook Nepal and several parts of India, including the national capital, leaving a trail of devastation in the Himalayan nation.

Modi has taken report of the situation in districts of UP and Bihar that are bordering Nepal. He has also spoken to the Sitamarhi MP, the PMO tweeted.

"PM @narendramodi has spoken to Bihar CM Shri @NitishKumarJDU ji in connection with the Earthquake.In the wake of the Earthquake, PM has spoken to Sikkim CM Shri Pawan Chamling," PMO tweeted.

MEA's helpline

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs had set up a 24-hour control room to provide assistance and information.

The numbers to the control room are +91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 4104 and +91 11 2301 7905, an official statement said.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh has expressed solidarity with Nepal, saying India stands by it in this hour of distress.

"Will be our endeavour to extend all support & assistance to those affected," he tweeted.

Deep Kumar Upadhyay, the ambassador-designate of Nepal to India, said his country needed mobile medical assistant units from India, among other help.

He thanked India for stepping in and offering help saying, "We have been in touch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Our President is in touch with them and they have offered to help us. I thank India on behalf of Nepal for assisting us".

Meanwhile, India has kept its transport aircraft and C17 Globemaster, C-130 Hercules and helicopters on standby. — TNS/ Agencies