Quake toll may rise: Home secretary (Lead)
September 19th, 2011 - 9:18 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) At least 42 people have died and over 100 have been injured in the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked large parts of eastern and northern India, Home Secretary R.K. Singh said Monday, adding that the toll may go up.
“The possibility of the the toll going up is there as reports from remote hilly regions, especially in Sikkim, have yet to arrive,” Singh said at a press conference.
The high-intensity quake, which was followed by two aftershocks, Sunday evening, had its epicentre on the Sikkim-Nepal border.
Singh said that in Sikkim capital Gangtok, buildings have developed cracks but not collapsed and authorities are working to restore the road link from Bagdogra to Gantok.
He said that bad weather conditions in the region are affecting the rescue operations.
In Sikkim, which has been the worst hit, 35 deaths have been confirmed so far. This includes 10 workers of the Teesta hydel project.
However, electricity supply has been restored in Gangtok, the home secretary said.
Besides, five people died in West Bengal and two in Bihar, he added. However, officials in Bengal said 10 people have died in the state due to the quake.
Singh added that about 6,200 personnel from the army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are involved in the relief work.
Nine helicopters are dropping food packets and rescuing stranded people.
The telephone communication system has been partially affected and one private network has suffered full disruption, Singh said.
At least 1,000 people have been accomodated in relief camps. Doctors and medical facilities have been provided to vicitms in the camps and villages.
Besides the Rs.5 lakh each given to the families of those killed, Rs.2 lakh each will be provided from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, Singh said.
The state government and relief teams are making arrangements to supply food and essential goods like cooking gas to the affected people.
The central government has been holding a series of meetings to review the situation, he added.
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Tags: bad weather, bagdogra, border police, electricity supply, epicentre, food packets, high intensity, hilly regions, home secretary, india home, itbp, magnitude earthquake, northern india, quake toll, relief camps, rescue operations, teesta, tibetan border, weather conditions, west bengal