Un potente terremoto di magnitudo 6,8 ha colpito la regione di Sikkim e altre nel nord-est dell'India, uccidendo almeno 10 persone e causando oltre 100 i feriti oltre a provocare danni estesi a diversi edifici. L'epicentro del sisma, il più forte registrato negli ultimi due decenni, si trovava a Mangan, al confine con il Nepal. La frattura si è verificata a 10 km di profondità alle 18:10 ora locale ed è stata avvertita fino a 900 chilometri di distanza interessando anche Nuova Delhi e Calcutta. Altre scosse di magnitudo 5,7, 5,3 e 4,6 sono state registrate a ridosso della prima. Le autorità hanno allertato alle forze armate e la personale paramilitare. Il Primo Ministro Manmohan Singh ha parlato con il capo del governo di Sikkim, Pawan Kumar Chamling, offrendo aiuto in tutti i modi possibili, inclusa la disponibilità di forze di difesa.
----------A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit a remote area in northeastern India on Sunday evening, causing panic as far as the capital of neighbouring Bangladesh, but officials did not initially report large scale casualties or damage. The US Geological Survey said on its website the quake was centered 64 km (40 miles) north west of Gangtok, capital of northeastern state Sikkim. It was 10 km (6.2 miles) deep. "Cracks have developed in some buildings in Gangtok. Most phone lines are down and there is no electricity now. People have come out on the street," said Gangtok resident Bobby Dahal. "It is too early to ascertain any damage. We are trying to get in touch with the state government of Sikkim to know if they need any help from us," Sujata Saunail, joint secretary of he National Disaster Management Authority, told Reuters. Sikkim is India's least populous state, located in the Himalayas between Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. The quake was felt all the way to Bangladesh, shaking buildings in the capital and neighbouring areas, but no casualties or damage were reported immediately. Thousands of panic-stricken families in Dhaka ran out of high-rise buildings on to the streets as the ground under their feet shook. Several earthquakes have hit north and east India this year, but none have caused major damage or injuries. "We do not expect major damage as the quake was moderate despite being strong. But we do expect some aftershocks," said G. C. Debnath, a director at state-run India Meteorological Department's Kolkata unit. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage. Powerful tremors were felt in Guwahati, the main city in neighbouring Assam some 600 kilometres away, sending panicked residents running into the streets (SANA)
