Earthquake triggers landslides in Mizoram, 23rd to hit state in 5 weeks

Aizawl, July 24 (PTI): An earthquake of 3.8 magnitude shook east Mizoram’s Champhai district on the Myanmar border on Friday, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

This is the 23rd quake to jolt the northeastern state in the last five weeks.

The quake on Friday occurred at 11.16 am and the epicentre was 29 km southeast of Champhai, the NCS said.

The earthquake and heavy rains caused landslides at several places in the district, Champhai Deputy Commissioner Maria CT Zuali told PTI.

She said two buildings have been vacated and the water supply pipeline to Dungtlang village was damaged due to landslides.

The quantum of damage is yet to be ascertained as officials are assessing it, Zuali added

Many people have set up makeshift tents and camps, and are sleeping outside their houses spooked by frequent quakes.

The district administration has provided them tarpaulins, water tanks, solar lamps, first aid kits and eatables, according to officials.

A series of earthquakes have hit the state since June 18 with remote Champhai being the worst-affected.

Earthquakes have also rocked Saitual, Serchhip and Siaha districts.

Earlier in the day, newly elected Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram K Vanlalvena, who is at present in the national capital, called on the secretary at the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, M Rajeevan, and asked him to send a team to the state.

Speaking to PTI from New Delhi, Vanlalvena said he urged the ministry to send seismologists to assess the cause of the frequent earthquakes. He said the secretary told him that they were taking the earthquakes in Mizoram seriously and would put forward the matter before higher authorities.