Monday’s earthquake in Manipur measuring 6.7 magnitude has left nine dead and over 80 injured.
The earthquake hit northeast India, near its borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh but the strong tremors were felt across the region.
A girl was killed in a building collapse at Tamenglong distrtict, while another person died at Taobungkhok village in Imphal West district, police said.
Four persons were seriously injured in Tamenglong district while other casualties were reported from places like Imphal East and West district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had called the Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and discussed post-earthquake situation in Manipur and Northeast.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said that the earthquake hit at 04:35 local time about 29km northwest of Imphal, the capital of Manipur state.
Activist Binalakshmi Nepram tweeted the following helpline numbers.
Govt #Manipur issues helpline nos all districts following massive #earthquake that claimed many lives this morning pic.twitter.com/SrGiFrL7s0
— Binalakshmi Nepram (@BinaNepram) January 4, 2016
Police in Imphal said that the tremor caused cracks in walls and a newly built six-story building in Imphal also collapsed. Several other buildings were also reported to have been damaged.
Many buildings collapsed in Tamenglong while several others in Imphal, including the market complex, developed cracks, sources said.
Electricity connection was cut off in the state soon after the quake and was yet to be restored.
A report published by BBC said that the worst affected appeared to be the Mother’s Market or the ‘Ima Keithel’ area. It is home to lots of buildings, private houses, a hospital and the city’s press club.
Many of them have been damaged in the quake and the entire area has been cordoned off. A number of buildings there have been evacuated.
On Monday afternoon, the National Disaster Relief Force team arrived in Imphal to carry out relief operations.
In the neighbouring Bangladesh, three people were reported to have died while dozens were being treated in hospital for injuries sustained during the quake.