Powerful Quake Leaves Several Dead and Scores Injured Across India and Bangladesh · Global Voices
Rezwan

Earthquake location 29km west of Imphal, Manipur, India. Screenshot of map from USGS website.
A powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit Imphal, the capital of the northeast Indian state of Manipur, in the early morning of 4 January 2015, followed by several aftershocks. The earthquake was felt strongly from many locations in India's east as well as parts of neighboring Bangladesh, which lies west of the quake’s epicenter. Neighbouring Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan were also touched by the tremor.
Many buildings in Imphal and surrounding places experienced structural damage, and mud houses were destroyed in nearby villages.
At the time of writing, at least six people were killed and 90 injured in India. In Bangladesh, so far four people were killed in earthquake-related incidents and a number of buildings were damaged.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake was caused by sections of the earth rubbing alongside each other at vertical, or nearly vertical, fracture points in what is known as a strike-slip fault.
The earthquake hit at 4:35 in the morning local time at a depth of 17 kilometres below the ground level. People who felt the shaking took to Twitter to update the world.
Aaman Wadud tweeted from Guwahati, about 300 kilometres from the epicentre:
Just experienced the strongest #earthquake of my life. Guwahati is shaken. It's 4:41AM and my entire neighbourhood is out on street.
— Aman Wadud (@AmanWadud) January 3, 2016
Sorokhaibam Akee posted an image of a damaged building:
Building collapse at Dewlaland, Imphal #Manipur #Earthquake. It were 6 floor. Photos by Deepak Shija pic.twitter.com/vquRIexD4S
— Sorokhaibam Akee (@ahaiyoh) January 4, 2016
Amy Devich tweeted:
Patients are told to stay outside as Imphal Hospital suffered huge cracks in the building. pic.twitter.com/qrtqvYGpKu
— †aмy devιcн† (@avidchyme) January 4, 2016
Facebook activated its safety check tool for Manipur earthquake.
YouTube user Storm Chaser uploaded a video of further quake damage:
The mainstream media soon were updating:
WATCH: Building collapsed in Imphal after #earthquake hit the region https://t.co/fGV8uD9cKP
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016
Walls of building collapsed in Imphal after earthquake hit the region pic.twitter.com/wNZZ4AU4bs
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 4, 2016
Nine aftershocks follow main earthquake in northeast India https://t.co/Rtaip9TkVn pic.twitter.com/zgfbAkVOYi
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) January 4, 2016
Data Scientist K Rahul Dev Sharma stayed on the story throughout the day:
Frustrating to see slow response from local authorities in #Manipur #ManipurEarthquake
— K Rahul Dev Sharma (@KRahulDevSharma) January 4, 2016
#ManipurEarthquake Total blackout. No power supply for hours. Internet on smartphones remains the only source of information. @NDRFHQ
— K Rahul Dev Sharma (@KRahulDevSharma) January 4, 2016
Chitra Ahanthem reported on various issues surrounding the earthquake, such as the need for donated blankets and criticism of the integrity of local structures:
The seismic centre at Manipur Univ puts epicentre in Tamenglong.major cracks reported from area #earthquake
— Chitra Ahanthem (@ChitraAhanthem) January 4, 2016
Women protesting poor quality of construction that led to Ima Keithel damages pic.twitter.com/LdiKL75pee
— Chitra Ahanthem (@ChitraAhanthem) January 4, 2016
those wanting to help for #earthquake in Imphal:extent of damage and casualties not high.but folks need blankets
— Chitra Ahanthem (@ChitraAhanthem) January 4, 2016
Imphal’s iconic Ima Market, presumably the world’s only market where all the traders are women, has been damaged.
Ima keithel.. The famous ima market suffered some structural damages #manipur #earthquake pic.twitter.com/a2wheI7rkl
— Яonald Thangeo (@RonaldThangeo) January 4, 2016
Crowdsourced images on the Facebook page of website Finding The Voice showed scenes of destruction. A commenter, Luwang Laiva wrote:
As of today, the safety within the premises of Ema market cannot be guaranteed… after shockwaves are likely to hit anytime soon.. I hope the authorities do the necessary asap to avoid any casualties…
When the quake hit Bangladesh, thousands of people rushed into the streets of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, about 350 kilometres from the epicentre. Most of the deaths in Bangladesh were due to panic rush. At least 29 people were taken to hospital with injuries.
Bangladeshis were tweeting about the quake.
The earthquake was like alarm…woke everyone up, here in Bangladesh. Waiting for the aftershocks of this quake now. Be safe, everyone.
— Osman Gani (@Poet_Osman) January 4, 2016
Earth Quake in Bangladesh at about 05.05 hrs pic.twitter.com/8JOG12uc8Z
— Md Shafiul Islam (@shafiulislam5) January 3, 2016
This earthquake has raised many questions about preparedness in Bangladesh. A Daily Star report today quoting the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management revealed that there are over 72,000 risky buildings in Dhaka city prone to earthquakes.