2011 Sikkim earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Sikkim earthquake ( Sikkim Bhūkamp), also known as the 2011 Himalayan earthquake ( Himalaya Bhūkamp), was a magnitude 6.9 (Mw)
earthquake
centered within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area
, near the border of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim
, at 18:10 IST (12:40 UTC) on Sunday, 18 September 2011. The earthquake was felt across northeastern India
, Nepal
, Bhutan
, Bangladesh
and southern Tibet
.
At least 111 people were killed in the earthquake. Most of the deaths occurred in Sikkim, with reports of fatalities in and near Singtam
in the East Sikkim
district. Several buildings collapsed in Gangtok. Eleven are reported dead in Nepal
, including three killed when a wall collapsed in the British Embassy in Kathmandu. Elsewhere, structural damage occurred in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and across Tibet; another seven fatalities were confirmed in the latter region.
The quake came just a few days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana's
Sonipat district
, sending tremors in New Delhi
. The earthquake was the fourth significant earthquake in India of September 2011.
6.9 (Mw) earthquake occurred inland at 18:10 IST on 18 September 2011, about 68 km (42 mi) northwest of Gangtok
, Sikkim
at a shallow depth
of 19.7 km (12.2 mi). At its location, the continental Indian and Eurasian Plate
s converge with one another along a tectonic boundary
beneath the mountainous region of northeast India near the Nepalese border. Although earthquakes in this region are usually interplate
in nature, preliminary data suggests the Sikkim earthquake was triggered by shallow strike-slip faulting from an intraplate
source within the over-riding Eurasian Plate. Initial analyses also indicate a complex origin, with the perceived tremor likely being a result of two separate events occurring close together in time at similar focal depths.
Located at a shallow depth beneath the surface, the earthquake caused strong shaking in many areas adjacent to its epicenter
reportedly lasting 30–40 seconds. The strongest shaking occurred to the west in Gangtok
and further south in Siliguri
, although similar ground motions registering at MM VI (strong) on the Mercalli scale
were recorded in many smaller towns such as Mangan
across elevated regions. Lighter tremors (MM IV–III) spread southward through populous regions, with these motions reported in the Patna
capital of Bihar
and as far southwest as Bihar Sharif
. In all, the earthquake was felt in Nepal
, India
, Bhutan
, Bangladesh
and China
. Tremors were felt in Assam
, Meghalaya
, Tripura
, parts of West Bengal
, Bihar
, Jharkhand
, Uttar Pradesh
, Rajasthan
, Chandigarh
and Delhi
states of India. In Tibet, the earthquake was felt in Shigatse
and Lhasa
.
At least 20 aftershocks back-to-back throughout the night created panic in the Gangtok
. On 19 September, tremors shook some parts of Maharashtra
measuring 3.9 (Mw) at around 06:30 IST including Latur
, Osmanabad
and Solapur
districts, all of which had already suffered the 1993 earthquake. However, no loss of life or property was reported.
The earthquake struck near a mountainous, albeit very populous region near the Sikkim–Nepal border; most of the structures were reported to be highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking. Upon impact, tens of thousands of residents evacuated their homes, and many areas suffered from communication and power outages. The strong shaking caused significant building collapse and mudslides; at least 111 people were confirmed killed by the effects of the earthquake, and hundreds of others sustained injuries. As the earthquake occurred in the monsoon season, heavy rain and landslides rendered rescue work more difficult.
, while 6 deaths have been reported from West Bengal
. Power supply was disrupted in areas near Sikkim, including Kalimpong of Darjeeling district
, and adjoining Jalpaiguri
and Cooch Behar
districts; the outages were in part blamed on an affected electric substation
in Siliguri
. Water supply was interrupted in Sikkim. National Highway 31
, the major highway linking Sikkim to the rest of India, was damaged. Ten of the dead were workers at a hydroelectric project on the Teesta River
.
In India, property damage
is estimated to be around with the actual report yet to come.
in the Pegong areas of North Sikkim
collapsed. In Gangtok
, many government offices and hospitals were left unusable. The heavy shaking destroyed the villages of Lingzya, Sakyong, Pentong, Bay and Tholong.
experienced power and telephone communication outages. Two people were killed in the eastern city of Dharan
. Overall, in Nepal 6 people died due to the earthquake.
, Sylhet
, Faridpur
, Bogra
and as far as Chittagong
. Panicked people rushed out of their homes and offices, but the only damage seems to be tilted and cracked buildings; no casualties were reported. Cell phone lines were also down for a few minutes during the quake.
, building collapse was reported in Yadong
, Dinggyê
and Gamba
. At least seven people were reported dead in Yadong. Telephone service was interrupted in the seat of Yadong County.
towards Thimphu
, and falling boulders after crossing Chundzom Bridge. Citizens were asked to avoid traveling on the Paro-Thimphu highway. Telecommunications networks were disrupted, with cellular networks unavailable after the quake.
Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Thinley updated in his status as "Phone lines remains clogged reflecting our caring and close knit society. No damage reported from East Bhutan. Four road blocks caused by falling debris are reported on the Chukha - Phuntsholing road. Two homes in Haa report damage with 3-4 people having suffered minor injury. Thimphu Dzong has sustained some cracks in the Utse and one of the four corner towers. Occupants have been moved out to safer parts. Please remain calm and alert."
been rushed to Sikkim and five more teams were being sent from Kolkata. However, South and West Sikkim remained inaccessible delaying rescue operations owing to landslides caused by rainfall. A group of 14 tourists were rescued by the army
from north Sikkim. The army had deployed 72 columns including infantry troops, combat engineers, four Dhruv
and five Cheetah helicopters. Rain and landslides had hampered the rescue efforts of workers searching for survivors.
India
n Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh
, on 19 September, announced as ex-gratia to a family member of those killed in the earthquake and for seriously injured. Ex-gratia compensation of for the kin of the deceased, for those grievously injured and for those with minor injuries was announced by Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling.
Himalayan Earthquake, North East India 2011 Collaboration and Information Aggregation
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
centered within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area
The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is a protected area in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal. Established in 1997 it covers in the Taplejung District. In the north it adjoins the Qomolangma Feng National Nature Reserve in Tibet, and in the east the Kanchanjunga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim...
, near the border of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, at 18:10 IST (12:40 UTC) on Sunday, 18 September 2011. The earthquake was felt across northeastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and southern Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
At least 111 people were killed in the earthquake. Most of the deaths occurred in Sikkim, with reports of fatalities in and near Singtam
Singtam
Singtam is a town in East Sikkim district in the Indian state of Sikkim. It is about 30 km from the state capital Gangtok.-Geography:Singtam is located at . It has an average elevation of 1396 metres .-Demographics:...
in the East Sikkim
East Sikkim
East Sikkim is one of the four administrative districts of the Indian state of Sikkim. Geographically, East Sikkim occupies the south-east corner of the state. The capital of East Sikkim is Gangtok, which is also the state capital...
district. Several buildings collapsed in Gangtok. Eleven are reported dead in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, including three killed when a wall collapsed in the British Embassy in Kathmandu. Elsewhere, structural damage occurred in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and across Tibet; another seven fatalities were confirmed in the latter region.
The quake came just a few days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana's
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
Sonipat district
Sonipat district
Sonipat district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Sonipat town is the district headquarters. It is a part of National Capital Region along with Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mewat, Palwal, Rewari, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Panipat, Alwar, Bhiwadi Industrial Town, Noida,...
, sending tremors in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. The earthquake was the fourth significant earthquake in India of September 2011.
Geology
The magnitudeMoment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
6.9 (Mw) earthquake occurred inland at 18:10 IST on 18 September 2011, about 68 km (42 mi) northwest of Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
, Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
at a shallow depth
Hypocenter
The hypocenter refers to the site of an earthquake or a nuclear explosion...
of 19.7 km (12.2 mi). At its location, the continental Indian and Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
s converge with one another along a tectonic boundary
Convergent boundary
In plate tectonics, a convergent boundary, also known as a destructive plate boundary , is an actively deforming region where two tectonic plates or fragments of lithosphere move toward one another and collide...
beneath the mountainous region of northeast India near the Nepalese border. Although earthquakes in this region are usually interplate
Interplate earthquake
An interplate earthquake is an earthquake that occurs at the boundary between two tectonic plates. If one plate is trying to move past the other, they will be locked until sufficient stress builds up to cause the plates to slip relative to each other...
in nature, preliminary data suggests the Sikkim earthquake was triggered by shallow strike-slip faulting from an intraplate
Intraplate earthquake
An intraplate earthquake is an earthquake that occurs in the interior of a tectonic plate, whereas an interplate earthquake is one that occurs at a plate boundary....
source within the over-riding Eurasian Plate. Initial analyses also indicate a complex origin, with the perceived tremor likely being a result of two separate events occurring close together in time at similar focal depths.
Located at a shallow depth beneath the surface, the earthquake caused strong shaking in many areas adjacent to its epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
reportedly lasting 30–40 seconds. The strongest shaking occurred to the west in Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
and further south in Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
, although similar ground motions registering at MM VI (strong) on the Mercalli scale
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
were recorded in many smaller towns such as Mangan
Mangan, India
Mangan is a town in North Sikkim in the Indian state of Sikkim. The town is connected to the capital Gangtok by a metalled road. North Sikkim is the largest district of Sikkim in terms of area. The town lies in the geographic south of the district. After the opening up of the district, Mangan has...
across elevated regions. Lighter tremors (MM IV–III) spread southward through populous regions, with these motions reported in the Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
capital of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and as far southwest as Bihar Sharif
Bihar Sharif
Bihar Sri is the district headquarters of Nalanda district in the state of Bihar in eastern India.-History:The ancient Odantpuri University was located here, an important centre for the learning of Buddhism. Odatpuri is center of Buddhist culture...
. In all, the earthquake was felt in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Tremors were felt in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
, Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
, parts of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
states of India. In Tibet, the earthquake was felt in Shigatse
Shigatse
Shigatse is a county-level city and the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region , People's Republic of China, with a population of 92000, about southwest of Lhasa and northwest of Gyantse...
and Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
.
Aftershocks
Sikkim experienced three aftershocks since the earthquake, occurring at magnitudes of 5.7, 5.1, and 4.6 (Mw) within 30 minutes of the initial earthquake. Kathmandu experienced two aftershocks that both had a magnitude of 4.8 Mw. The aftershocks had no serious impact in the region.At least 20 aftershocks back-to-back throughout the night created panic in the Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
. On 19 September, tremors shook some parts of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
measuring 3.9 (Mw) at around 06:30 IST including Latur
LaTur
La Tur was a Mexican airline that operated from 1988 until 1992 when it was taken over by TAESA.-Company history:Set up in 1988 to help develop the tourist market, La Tur began operations using McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft. One year later, the Airbus A300-600 was introduced for flights to Europe...
, Osmanabad
Osmanabad
Osmanabad is a city and a municipal council in Osmanabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:The city of Osmanabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 647 metres ....
and Solapur
Solapur
Solapur is a city in South Western Maharashtra, India governed by municipal corporation.Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra . It is the fourth largest district in Maharashtra in terms of land area and seventh largest in terms of population...
districts, all of which had already suffered the 1993 earthquake. However, no loss of life or property was reported.
Impact
| Country | Deaths |
|---|---|
 India |
97 |
 Mainland China |
7 |
 Nepal |
6 |
| 1 | |
 Bangladesh |
0 |
| Total | 111 |
The earthquake struck near a mountainous, albeit very populous region near the Sikkim–Nepal border; most of the structures were reported to be highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking. Upon impact, tens of thousands of residents evacuated their homes, and many areas suffered from communication and power outages. The strong shaking caused significant building collapse and mudslides; at least 111 people were confirmed killed by the effects of the earthquake, and hundreds of others sustained injuries. As the earthquake occurred in the monsoon season, heavy rain and landslides rendered rescue work more difficult.
India
Northern India suffered the most from the earthquake, with at least 75 people killed. 60 people were reportedly killed in Sikkim alone. At least 7 people have died in BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, while 6 deaths have been reported from West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Power supply was disrupted in areas near Sikkim, including Kalimpong of Darjeeling district
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
, and adjoining Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri is a city in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region.-History:...
and Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at . Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage...
districts; the outages were in part blamed on an affected electric substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
in Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
. Water supply was interrupted in Sikkim. National Highway 31
National Highway 31 (India)
National Highway 31 is an important National Highway in India. It provides gateway to the states in North-East India. This long National Highway starts in Barhi, Jharkhand at the NH 2 and generally traverses in Northeast direction passing through Jhumri Tilaiya, Koderma, Nawada, Bihar Sharif,...
, the major highway linking Sikkim to the rest of India, was damaged. Ten of the dead were workers at a hydroelectric project on the Teesta River
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
.
In India, property damage
Property damage
Property damage is damage to or the destruction of public or private property, caused either by a person who is not its owner or by natural phenomena. Property damage caused by persons is generally categorized by its cause: neglect , and intentional damage...
is estimated to be around with the actual report yet to come.
Sikkim
Two buildings of the Indo-Tibetan Border PoliceIndo-Tibetan Border Police
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is an Indian force conceived on October 24, 1962 for security along the India's border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, border covering 2115 kilometres...
in the Pegong areas of North Sikkim
North Sikkim
North Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its district headquarters is Mangan. It is the seventh least populous district in the country .-Geography:The district is the largest of the four districts of Sikkim....
collapsed. In Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
, many government offices and hospitals were left unusable. The heavy shaking destroyed the villages of Lingzya, Sakyong, Pentong, Bay and Tholong.
Nepal
In the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu, damage from the earthquake was comparatively limited. Three people were killed when a wall at the British Embassy collapsed, and many others suffered injuries. The shaking effects were more severe in eastern Nepal, which is closer to the epicenter. There, hundreds of homes sustained significant damage, and due to saturated soil from preceding heavy rains widespread mudslides impacted the region. SunsariSunsari District
Sunsari District of 625,633.The area was originally part of Morang but became its own district in 1962 when Nepal was divided into 14 zones and 75 districts....
experienced power and telephone communication outages. Two people were killed in the eastern city of Dharan
Dharan, Nepal
Dharan is a major city in eastern Nepal, in the Sunsari District, situated on foothills of Mahabharat Range with southern tip touching the edge of the Terai at an altitude of 1148 ft . It serves as a trading post between the hilly region and the plains of Terai region. It was once the...
. Overall, in Nepal 6 people died due to the earthquake.
Bangladesh
The earthquake was felt most strongly in northern Bangladesh. The quake was also felt in DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
, Faridpur
Faridpur Sadar Upazila
Faridpur Sadar is an Upazila of Faridpur District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It contains Faridpur Town near the banks of the Padma River.-Geography:...
, Bogra
Bogra
Bogra is a town, and one of the oldest towns in northern Bangladesh. It is a centre of commerce and trade within the Bogra District and located under the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is sometimes described as the nerve centre of Northern Bangladesh. Amongst many notable activities, it has been hosting...
and as far as Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
. Panicked people rushed out of their homes and offices, but the only damage seems to be tilted and cracked buildings; no casualties were reported. Cell phone lines were also down for a few minutes during the quake.
China
In TibetTibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, building collapse was reported in Yadong
Yadong County
Chomo County is a frontier county and trade-market of Tibet, situated in the mouth of the Chumbi valley near the Indian frontier. It lies in the middle part of Himalayas and the south of Tibet Autonomous Region, covering about 4,306 square kilometers with a population of 10,000...
, Dinggyê
Dinggyê County
Dinggyê County or Tingche County is a county of the Xigazê Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Jin Co and Duolo Co are located in this county.-See also:*Dinggyê...
and Gamba
Gamba County
Gamba County is a county of the Xigazê Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The capital lies at Gamba or Kamba which has a noted military facility....
. At least seven people were reported dead in Yadong. Telephone service was interrupted in the seat of Yadong County.
Bhutan
So far there have been no reports of casualties in Bhutan; however cracks on walls and ceilings of houses have been reported in Wangthangkha village, Lango and the town area in Paro. There are also reports of a landslide right after crossing the Isuna Bridge from ParoParo
Paro may refer to:* Matteo Paro , Italian footballer* Paro , a therapeutic robot baby harp seal* Paro, Bhutan* Paro Airport, Bhutan* Paro District, Bhutan* Paro, a Moai on Rapa Nui...
towards Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
, and falling boulders after crossing Chundzom Bridge. Citizens were asked to avoid traveling on the Paro-Thimphu highway. Telecommunications networks were disrupted, with cellular networks unavailable after the quake.
Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Thinley updated in his status as "Phone lines remains clogged reflecting our caring and close knit society. No damage reported from East Bhutan. Four road blocks caused by falling debris are reported on the Chukha - Phuntsholing road. Two homes in Haa report damage with 3-4 people having suffered minor injury. Thimphu Dzong has sustained some cracks in the Utse and one of the four corner towers. Occupants have been moved out to safer parts. Please remain calm and alert."
India
Early rescue operations included four teams of National Disaster Response ForceNational Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
The DM Act, 2005 has made the statutory provisions for the constitution of the National Disaster Response Force for the purpose of specialized response to natural and man-made disasters...
been rushed to Sikkim and five more teams were being sent from Kolkata. However, South and West Sikkim remained inaccessible delaying rescue operations owing to landslides caused by rainfall. A group of 14 tourists were rescued by the army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
from north Sikkim. The army had deployed 72 columns including infantry troops, combat engineers, four Dhruv
HAL Dhruv
The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter developed and manufactured by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited . Dhruv was first announced in November 1984. The ALH was designed with assistance from MBB in Germany. The Dhruv first flew in 1992; but, due to the changing demands of the Indian Army and...
and five Cheetah helicopters. Rain and landslides had hampered the rescue efforts of workers searching for survivors.
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, on 19 September, announced as ex-gratia to a family member of those killed in the earthquake and for seriously injured. Ex-gratia compensation of for the kin of the deceased, for those grievously injured and for those with minor injuries was announced by Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling.
See also
Himalayan Earthquake, North East India 2011 Collaboration and Information Aggregation