Sikkim India Earthquake.
GANGTOK (Sikkim, India) Sept 19 (Bernama) -- At least 23 people died and over 100 hundred were injured in India's north-eastern state of Sikkim after a powerful earthquake left a trail of devastation in the Himalayan state, making relief work difficult due to landslides and road blockages, Press Trust of India quoted officials as saying on Monday.
Another eight persons, who were travelling in a bus of the Teesta Urja Ltd. Co. in the north district, are presumed to be dead after their vehicle got stuck under the debris, Maj. Gen. S L Narasimhan of GOC 17 Mountain Division told reporters here.
The Army has launched 'Operation Madad' in the state deploying 2,500 troops and 84 columns, he said.
"Around 44 columns are working in Sikkim, another 15 in the east district of the state. We are also sending teams to Darjeeling and Kalimpong," he said.
The west and south districts remain inaccessible to the Army and no relief work has reached these areas.
"However, the local administration are on to relief work on their own. The Army's local commanders have also been alerted," Narasimhan said.
The casualties were mostly in the north district and in towns and villages like Rangpo, Dikchu, Singtam and Chungthang located along the Teesta river, officials in the district control room said.
A group of 14 tourists were rescued by the Army from north Sikkim on Sunday night, he said, adding they have been admitted to Chungthang Army Hospital.
Around 300 rescue workers from the National Disaster Response Force are stuck at Bagdogra airport as helicopter services to Gangtok were suspended due to inclement weather.
360 Cerita Tsunami dan Banjir.
Penduduk di negara ini perlu lebih bersedia ..
KUALA LUMPUR - Penduduk di negara ini perlu lebih bersedia kerana Malaysia dijangka tidak terlepas daripada mengalami kejadian gempa bumi pada masa akan datang.
Pakar Geologi, Prof. Madya Dr. Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin berkata, kemungkinan itu ekoran daripada retakan-retakan besar (sesar) yang terdapat di dalam kerak bumi.
Katanya, walaupun ketika ini retakan itu tidak aktif tetapi gerakan pada kerak bumi yang didorong oleh gempa di sekeliling Semenanjung Malaysia boleh mengundang bencana tersebut.
"Kekerapan berlakunya gempa bumi di sekeliling Malaysia, contohnya di Indonesia, Myanmar dan Jepun akan mendorong patahan pada retakan-retakan besar ini seterusnya ia akan aktif dan menghasilkan gempa bumi.
"Apa yang dapat dipastikan, kemungkinan itu tetap ada tetapi bila ia akan berlaku sama ada mengambil masa puluhan atau ratusan tahun tidak dapat dipastikan," kata Tajul Anuar yang merupakan Pensyarah Geobencana, Institut Kajian Bencana Asia Tenggara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Semakin menghampiri Malaysia: Titik Gempa Bumi
KUALA LUMPUR – Kekerapan kejadian gempa bumi sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini dipercayai mengakibatkan kedudukan titik gempa di Sumatera, Indonesia beralih dan semakin menghampiri Malaysia.
Pakar geologi, Profesor Madya Datuk Dr. Mohamad Ali Hasan berkata, beliau tidak menolak kemungkinan itu kerana titik gempa biasanya akan mengalami pergerakan sebanyak satu sentimeter setahun jika gempa bumi kerap berlaku di sesebuah kawasan.
Beliau berkata, hakikat tersebut terbukti apabila penduduk negara kini semakin kerap merasai kesan gegaran gempa bumi yang berlaku di negara-negara sekitar rantau ini berbanding sebelum ini