Moderate Earthquake Hits West Sikkim, Mild Tremors Felt in Gangtok

A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Sikkim-Nepal region early Thursday morning, causing mild tremors in parts of West Sikkim and the capital city of Gangtok.

Details

The moderate quake happened at 4:30 am. Its epicentre was about 40 kilometres northwest of Yuksom in the Gyalshing district of West Sikkim, according to the National Centre for Seismology. Officials confirmed that there are no reports of any property damage or casualties so far.

Measurements

The National Centre for Seismology recorded the earthquake at a depth of 73 kilometres. It was tracked at latitude 27.671 degrees north and longitude 87.987 degrees east. Mild shakes were felt across several areas of West Sikkim and parts of East Sikkim, including Gangtok.

Context

Earthquakes of this magnitude in the Himalayan region are often caused by the ongoing tectonic movement of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Sikkim sits in a high seismic zone, making it prone to frequent seismic activity.