Guwahati, Jan 5: A moderate earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck central Assam in the early hours of Monday, triggering panic across large parts of the northeastern region. No casualties or damage to property were reported, officials said.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at 4.17 am, with its epicentre located in Morigaon district on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra river. The tremor originated at a depth of 50 kilometres, at latitude 26.37° North and longitude 92.29° East.
The quake was felt across several districts of Assam, including Kamrup Metropolitan, Nagaon, East and West Karbi Anglong, Hojai, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara.
Districts on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra—such as Darrang, Tamulpur, Sonitpur, Kamrup, Biswanath, Udalguri, Nalbari, Bajali, Barpeta, Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Lakhimpur—also experienced tremors.
The impact extended beyond Assam, with tremors reported from parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Shaking was also felt in some areas of West Bengal, as well as in parts of Bhutan, China and Bangladesh.
The sudden tremor jolted many residents out of their sleep, prompting people in several areas to rush outdoors as a precaution.
Authorities, however, confirmed that there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to infrastructure.
The northeastern region lies in one of India’s most seismically active zones and is highly prone to earthquakes. Officials said the situation is being closely monitored and advised residents to remain calm and follow standard safety protocols during seismic events.
