5.6 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Bhutan, Felt Across Sikkim and North Bengal

Gangtok: A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck near Punakha, Bhutan, late Sunday night, causing noticeable tremors across Sikkim and northern districts of West Bengal. The United States Geological Survey recorded the event at 11:06 pm, while the German Research Centre for Geosciences measured the quake at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Residents in Gangtok and various north Bengal towns, including Siliguri, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar, hurried outdoors as a precaution when the shaking began. The tremors lasted only a few seconds, but the shallow depth of the earthquake likely contributed to the intensity felt across the region.

Officials from the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority confirmed that the situation remains under control. Local administrations in West Bengal also placed disaster management teams on alert as a preventative measure. Regarding the aftermath, officials stated, "The situation was being closely monitored, though no adverse incidents had occurred."

Authorities in Bhutan have not reported significant damage following the seismic activity. Despite the late-night scare, normalcy returned quickly to the region as no injuries or property damage were documented by emergency services.