Magnitude 4.8 earthquake jolts Barak Valley, Epicentre Hailakandi

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Hailakandi, Assam, on Tuesday afternoon, with tremors being felt across several parts of Barak Valley and triggering panic among residents who said the shaking was among the strongest they had experienced in a long time.

According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake occurred at 2:18:31 pm IST. The epicentre was located in Hailakandi at latitude 24.823 and longitude 92.634, with a depth of 5 km. The event has been marked as “reviewed” by the government agency.

The shallow depth of the quake appears to have made the tremors more pronounced in the region, with residents from different parts of Barak Valley saying they felt a sudden and sharp jolt. Several people reported that utensils and household items rattled violently, while some said objects fell off shelves as the ground shook for a few seconds.

Many residents said such intense tremors had not been felt in the valley for a long time. The sudden movement sent people rushing out of homes and offices, with apprehension spreading briefly across neighbourhoods as word of the quake travelled quickly.

The government’s earthquake report also places the Hailakandi event among the more significant tremors recorded in the region on Monday. On the National Center for Seismology portal, the earthquake was listed as the strongest among the reviewed events visible at the time.

There was no immediate official report of major damage or casualties till the filing of this report. Authorities are expected to monitor the situation closely.

Barak Valley lies in a seismically active zone, and tremors of varying intensity are not uncommon. However, Monday’s earthquake left many residents shaken, with several describing it as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability to sudden seismic activity.