Fresh tremors rock Bihar

Patna: Fresh tremors today rocked most parts of Bihar triggering panic among the people who moved out of their houses for safety, a day after a massive temblor left 42 people dead and 156 injured in the state.

"The fresh tremor with a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter Scale rocked Bihar at 12.39 PM and lasted for 22 seconds", Patna MET Director A K Sen told PTI.

The epicentre of today's tremor was recorded at 150 km east of Nepal and its intensity was only second to yesterday's earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 on Richter Scale that had rocked Nepal, several parts of India and a number of bordering countries, he said.

Sen claimed that today's tremor was quite high in intensity and may have caused loss of life and collateral damages.

The people in the state capital were seen rushing out of their homes with their family members after experiencing the tremors.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was presiding over a meeting with senior officials to review rescue and relief works, came out rushing with the officials.

42 people were killed and 156 others injured in incidents of house-collapse during and after a high-intensity quake that rocked the state yesterday.

The state government has distributed Rs four lakh compensation to the next of kin of those killed in the calamity and announced treatment of the injured at government expense.

Disaster Management department's Joint Secretary Sunil Kumar told PTI that of the 42 lives lost yesterday, the highest number of eight casualties were reported from East Champaran district, followed by six each in Sitamarhi and Darbhanga and three each in Siwan, Lakhisarai and Araria districts.

There were two deaths each in Supaul, Saharsa, Sheohar, Saran and Madhubani district even as Katihar, West Champaran and Gaya districts recorded one casualty each, Kumar said.

Among the injured, Darbhanga led the chart at 49, followed by West Champaran (21), Sitamarhi (18), Munger (13) and Madhubani (12), the DMD Joint Secretary said.

Cases of injury were also reported from East Champaran (9), Saharsa (7), Nalanda (6), Vaishali (5), Bhojpur (4), Katihar (3), Araria (2), Kishanganj (2), Saran (2), Patna (1), Sheohar (1) and Gaya (1) districts, he said.