Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Jolts Northeast India: Strong Tremors Felt Across Region, No Major Casualties Reported

GUWAHATI-  A powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Assam’s Sonitpur district this afternoon, sending shockwaves through northeast India and neighboring countries, prompting residents to flee buildings in panic.

The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed the tremor originated near Dhekiajuli at a shallow depth of approximately 5-10 km, occurring at 4:41 p.m. IST. The epicenter, located about 10 km north-northeast of Khārupatia and roughly 40 km north of Guwahati, the region’s largest city, caused intense shaking that lasted several seconds.

Eyewitness accounts from Guwahati described furniture rattling, walls cracking, and power outages in some areas, with social media flooded by videos of people rushing outdoors amid heavy monsoon rains.

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Tremors were widely felt in Assam districts including Udalguri, Kokrajhar, and Nagaon, as well as in neighboring states like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and West Bengal’s border areas such as Malda and Cooch Behar.

The quake’s reach extended beyond India, with reports of mild shaking in Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and even parts of China’s Tibet region.

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Japanese meteorological agency Weathernews noted potential impacts in Assam, underscoring the event’s regional scale. Initial assessments by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) and local authorities indicate no casualties or widespread structural damage as of evening.

However, isolated incidents of minor cracks in buildings and fallen debris were reported in rural Sonitpur.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged calm via social media, advising residents to avoid elevators and stay in open areas while monitoring for aftershocks. “Teams are on high alert; please follow safety protocols,” he posted.

Seismologists attribute the quake to the tectonically active Himalayan belt, where the Indian plate continues to subduct under the Eurasian plate at a rate of about 47 mm per year, making northeast India one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.

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Zone V on India’s seismic zoning map classifies the area as high-risk, with experts warning that shallow quakes like this amplify surface shaking. This event follows a pattern of moderate tremors in the region, including a 5.2-magnitude quake in Meghalaya earlier this month and a 4.0 in Nagaon just days ago.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed teams to vulnerable spots, and helplines remain active for distress calls. As aftershocks remain possible—two minor ones were recorded within an hour—officials are conducting rapid damage surveys.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for retrofitting in the flood- and quake-vulnerable northeast, where ongoing heavy rains could exacerbate any hidden structural weaknesses. Updates will follow as assessments continue. Residents are advised to heed official alerts and prepare emergency kits.