Eight dead as quake jolts Manipur, Assam; two NDRF units lead rescue operations

GUWAHATI: Eight people, six in Manipur and two in Assam, died and scores injured after an earthquake of 6.8 magnitude caused largescale destruction in Manipur and adjoining Assam. Tamenglong district in Manipur was the epicenter of the earthquake.

Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju are camping in Manipur to assist the state in rescue and relief operation. The Army is monitoring the situation in Manipur.

According to state government, around 200 houses were completely damaged and over 600 partially affected by the disaster. All government offices will remain close for next two days while schools and colleges for next seven days.

Union Home minister Rajnath Singh who was in Guwahati on Monday said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked me to co-ordinate with North-eastern states in the sad moment. I have spoken to chief ministers of North-eastern states and taken stock of the situation.”

He said two battalions of National Disaster Response Force had been rushed to Imphal from Guwahati. “The Central government stands firmly with the region and will do everything possible,” Singh said

Meanwhile, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has controlled running of goods and passenger train in several stations to deal with the situation. NFR, engineering department officials inspected tracks, bridges and other installations following which several trains were regulated. Around 56 trains are regulated in Alipurduar, Rangia, Tinsukia, Lumding and Kathiar division of the NFR.

After meeting his cabinet, CM O Ibobi Singh said, “We are getting reports of the damage from different areas of the state. And rescue and relief operations have been launched.” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi too held a high-level meeting to review the situation in the aftermath of the earthquake.