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India Earthquake: Strong Quake Strikes India

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Indian residents gather near a damaged car and wall rubble in Siliguri after an earthquake (AFP, Diptendu Dutta)
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A damaged car in Siliguri following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in India. (AFP, Diptendu Dutta)

A strong quake rocked the Northeast region of India Sunday.

Today, a strong 6.9 magnitude quake struck northeastern India.

According to the AFP,  the US Geological Survey said the quake hit the small, Himalayan state of Sikkim, which borders Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, at around 6:10 p.m. with the epicentre was just over 40 miles northwest of the state capital Gangtok.

The quake left the region in rubble with collapsed buildings, mass power outages and mudslides evident. Further damaging the region, were 6.1 and 5.3 aftershocks.

The strong 6:10 p.m. quake proved deadly.

According to the Associated Press, a death toll of nine has been reported: “at least four people in India’s Sikkim state were killed and an unspecified number of people were injured, state police Chief Jasbir Singh told The Associated Press. Nepal’s government said five people died and dozens were hurt there.”

Reportedly, India’s seven northeastern states are located in an area that frequently has seismic activity.