Sikkim Shaken by 4.5 Magnitude Earthquake

A 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck Sikkim early Friday morning. The epicenter was located 2 km from Soreng town in West Sikkim, with tremors felt at a depth of 10 km. Sikkim lies in seismic zone IV, and residents gathered outside their homes fearing another quake.

An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Sikkim early Friday morning, officials reported.

According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake's epicenter was 2 km from Soreng town in West Sikkim, striking at 6:57 am at a depth of 10 km.

Located in seismic zone IV of the Indian seismic zoning map, Sikkim spans the Himalayan mountain range with two main thrust faults, the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and Main Central Thrust (MCT) crossing the state. Residents, though mildly affected by the tremors, were seen gathering outside their homes fearing further quakes.

Sikkim experienced a more severe earthquake on September 18, 2011, with a 6.9 magnitude that resulted in over 100 fatalities and extensive damage.

(With inputs from agencies.)