HM Rajnath Singh seeks report on earthquake, NDRF put on high alert
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has sought a detailed report on earthquake that hit parts of northern India late Monday night.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has sought a detailed report on earthquake that hit parts of northern India late Monday night.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been put on high alert to carry out relief operation and help victim in case the need arises.
Singh said that his Ministry officials are closely monitoring the situation in Uttarakhand and other states where tremors were felt.
"The NDRF teams have been rushed from Ghaziabad to Uttarakhand to conduct rescue and relief operations, if the situation arises," he said.
The Home Minister has asked for a detailed report and the NDRF has been put on high alert, a Home Ministry spokesperson said.
Two NDRF teams, comprising about 90 personnel, have been rushed to Rudraprayag from their base in Ghaziabad, NDRF Director General R K Pachnanda said.
He added that the preliminary reports received from the Uttarakhand government have not indicated any major damage but as a contingency measure, the relief and rescue teams are being mobilised.
He said that one more team has been put on standby and will be dispatched depending on the developing situation.
PM Modi takes stock of situation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed that he took stock of the situation in the aftermath of the earthquake.
"Spoke to officials & took stock of the situation in the wake of the earthquake felt in various parts of North India," he tweeted.
"PMO is in touch with officials in Uttarakhand, which is the epicentre of the quake. I pray for everyone's safety &wellbeing," he said in a tweet.
A moderate intensity earthquake measuring 5.8 on Richter Scale hit Uttarakhand last night, tremors of which were felt in Delhi and other parts of northern India. The epicentre of the quake was Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand, said J L Gautam, Operations head at the National Seismological Bureau, a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences.
"The depth of the quake was 33 km and it occurred at 10.33 PM," he said.
Uttarakhand, which falls in the Himalayan belt, is known for high seismic activities.
Tremors were felt across Punjab, Haryana and their common capital Chandigarh also after which many people rushed out of their homes. There were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property.
According to reports, tremors were felt across Haryana and the National Capital Region. People, especially those living in high-rise apartments
and buildings, rushed to the ground floor. Tremors were felt at various places in Haryana including Gurugram, Faridabad, Rohtak, Ambala, Panchkula, Sonepat, Panipat and Karnal.
In Punjab, tremors were felt at many places including Mohali, Patiala, Ropar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. People felt the tremors also in neighbouring Noida of Uttar Pradesh.
In Uttarakhand, people rushed out of their homes in panic when the earthquake struck. The quake was felt nearly everywhere at 10.33 pm
especially the hill districts of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh.
Uttarkahand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that he spoke to district magistrates and sought a report.
"I have spoken to District Magistrate and getting information from various sources throughout the state. There is no loss of life but there may be some cracks developed in the houses in far-flung areas. We are still in the process of collecting the information," he said.
Disaster Management authorities are well prepared and there is nothing to worry, he said, adding our emergency control room is also collecting information.