5.7 earthquake strikes Bhutan, tremors felt in north Bengal

Darjeeling: A 5.7-magnitude earthquake that shook Darjeeling and large parts of North Bengal late Sunday night has once again brought into sharp focus the region’s growing seismic vulnerability, particularly after the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the revised Indian Standard 1893 seismic zonation map, placed almost the entire Himalayan and sub-Himalayan belt, including the Darjeeling Hills, Terai, Dooars and Sikkim, under the newly classified highest seismic risk Zone VI.

The reclassification has heightened concerns over rapid and often unplanned construction, increasing population density and mounting environmental stress in the fragile ecosystem, with experts warning that the region remains vulnerable to a major earthquake.

The earthquake struck at around 11.06 pm. According to preliminary reports, the epicentre was located in Bhutan, around 19 kilometres from the capital, Thimphu. The epicentral region was approximately 170-190 kilometres from Darjeeling and about 155-165 kilometres from Siliguri, explaining why the tremors were strongly felt across North Bengal and adjoining states.

Tremors were reported from Darjeeling, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts, while residents in Assam also experienced the quake.

The shaking continued for several seconds with residents rushing out of their homes and buildings in fear. For many, the experience revived memories of the devastating Sept 18, 2011 Sikkim earthquake and the April 25, 2015 Nepal earthquake. Both had caused widespread damage across the eastern Himalayan region.

Biswas Chhetri, a special educator living in Chowrasta, said the tremors were among the strongest he had experienced in recent years.

“I was working on a project when the earthquake struck. The tremors lasted for at least five seconds. Since it had already been raining, the situation felt even more frightening. My mother called from Mungpoo after feeling the tremors there and asked whether I was safe. My sister in Guwahati also called after experiencing the earthquake. ,” he said.

Describing the scenes that followed, Chhetri added: “People in the hills usually go to bed early, but after the quake there was complete chaos. People were shouting, screaming and rushing out of their homes to save themselves.”

The tremors also triggered panic in Guwahati.

Speaking to TOI, Barsha Chhetri, assistant professor and head of the department of education at Girijananda Chowdhury University in Guwahati, said students immediately evacuated the hostel.

“The tremors lasted for at least six seconds. Many students were receiving phone calls from their parents and there was considerable panic,” she said.

The earthquake also prompted warnings from experts and environmental activists.

Wing Commander (retd.) Praful Rao, founder of SaveTheHills (STH), an organisation that raises awareness about environment in the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas, said the earthquake should serve as a wake-up call for the region.

“Yesterday’s late-night earthquake may have served as a rude reminder of something we have forgotten — that we in the Himalayas are exposed to one of the deadliest earthquake risks in the world and that we are overdue for a major earthquake,” Rao said.

No reports of damage or injuries had been received till the filing of this report. The tremors served as a stark reminder of the fragile and highly active seismic landscape of the eastern Himalayas.