Sikkim quake: ITBP buildings collapse, Pegong area badly hit

GANGTOK: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police has launched search and rescue operations in Pegong area of north Sikkim which has been "badly affected" with two ITBP buildings also collapsing after the state was rocked by a powerful earthquake.

Official sources said the search and rescue operations are getting hampered because there is no electricity in the area.

The force's also lost two of its buildings. However, no casulty has been reported yet.

The sources said the officers mess also suffered some damage.

"Two builings have collapsed though there has been no casualty. The officers mess too has been hit. The road outside the battalion headquarters has cracked. We have launched search and rescue operations," the source said.

The quake measuring 6.8 on Richter Scale with its epicentre on the Sikkim-Nepal border shook northeast and northern parts of the country, including the national capital, this evening.