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32 die as earthquake rocks Chamoli region

At least 35 people were killed and more than a dozen injured when a severe earthquake rocked the hilly areas of Uttar Pradesh last night, reports said today.

Initial reports quoting official sources said that 32 people were killed in Chamoli district and two in Rudraprayag.

Chamoli region Deputy Superintendent of Police F C P Thapliyal said 23 bodies had been taken out of the debris so far. These included eight women and three children.

Official sources said the earthquake, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale and lasting about 40 seconds, had its epicentre near Nandaprayag in Chamoli district.

Officials fear that the toll could go up as the earthquake appeared the strongest in the seismically sensitive Himalayan foothills in 94 years. Many people were feared stuck under the debris.

The sources said the severely affected areas included Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Papaniyana of the Himalayan region.

They said the Chamoli jail collapsed due to the jolts. Five prisoners, including a woman, and some Nepali labourers were believed to be trapped under the debris.

The ITBP and the army have been pressed into service to carry out the rescue operations, they added.

Two rescue helicopters have taken off from Bareilly and Saharanpur.

The sources said more than 60 houses in the region had collapsed due to the tremors which also rocked southern Tibet and parts of China.

The shocks were also felt in Delhi, Shimla, Jalandhar, Kanpur, Varanasi and Chandigarh, reports said.

The sources said rescue operations in the region were affected as a road leading to Chamoli was blocked by landslides. Telephone lines in the area were also knocked down by the jolts.

This is the second earthquake since October 1991, when at least 1,600 people were killed in the region. The earthquake had measured 6.6 on the Richter scale.

Delhi and the adjoining areas were rocked by a severe earthquake, which lasted more than 30 seconds.

The quake occurred at around 0035 hours. People rushed out of their houses in panic.

There was no immediate report of loss of life or damage to property.

A Chandigarh report said severe tremors rocked the city twice around 0035 hours.

People came out in the open as windows and doors of their houses rattled.

The quake was also experienced in Jalandhar and Shimla.

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