In a seismic event that rattled Tripura on Saturday morning, at approximately 9:05 am, an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter Scale struck the region, causing damage to at least twelve houses, according to official reports. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) recorded the quake at a depth of 55 km from the surface.
The affected areas encompassed Sonamura, where ten houses suffered partial damage, Bishalgarh, where one house was severely affected, and Kumarghat, where another house was partly damaged. Reports also emerged from Udaipur, indicating cracks in approximately seven houses at Murir Tilla under the Matabari constituency in Gomati district.
Further assessments from Charilam revealed visible damage, with cracks observed in several houses at Routhkhola and Jangalia. The earthquake’s impact even extended to the Bishalgarh police station, where the wall showed signs of damage.
Despite the structural repercussions, there have been no immediate reports of casualties, as confirmed by Disaster Management officials in both Tripura and Mizoram. The tremor, however, was felt across various parts of the northeastern region, including Mizoram, parts of Assam, and adjoining Bangladesh, as reported by an IANS release quoting a disaster management official in Agartala.
Seismologists consider the northeastern region the sixth most earthquake-prone belt globally, prompting authorities to actively pursue the construction of earthquake-resistant structures. In response to the crisis, a team from the BJP’s Bishalgarh mandal visited the affected houses, offering assurance of assistance from the administration.
The situation remains under close scrutiny as local authorities, disaster management teams, and relief agencies work collaboratively to assess the extent of the damage, provide immediate assistance to affected residents, and implement measures to enhance community resilience in the face of seismic events.