North East earthquake: Eight killed, over 90 injured, rescue and relief operations on

At least eight people were killed and over 90 injured as a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 hit Manipur and other North East states on Monday. The quake damaged several buildings and triggered panic among people, reported PTI.

Manipur bore the brunt of the temblor, which struck at 4.35 am. Seven people, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed and at least 50 injured in the state. Power supply to Imphal city was disrupted. Several buildings and roads developed cracks, while the walls of some schools gave way, officials said.

The quake was also felt in eastern states including Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. The Indian Army and Air Force began rescue and relief operations, while two teams of the National Disaster Response Force were rushed to Imphal and Assam.

This is how the story unfolded today:

4.55 pm: The Manipur government has said that at least eight people have been killed and over 50 injured in quake-related incidents. It has also decided to close all government and private schools for the coming seven days.

3.45 pm: ANI has reported that seven people have been killed and 52 others injured in Manipur in quake-related incidents.

The Indian Army and Air Force have started working on relief and rescue operations in quake-hit Manipur, reported PTI. A defence official said an AN32 plane of the Air Force was going to Imphal from Guwahati with 75 NDRF personnel for relief and rescue operations. Army units in Manipur have already started providing medical assistance to the injured, officials said.

2.50 pm: The Union Health Ministry will send a three-member team to Manipur on Tuesday to assess the ground situation, reported PTI. Health Minister JP Nadda said that his ministry is in constant touch with the North East states affected by the earthquake and all support is being provided to them.

2.45 pm: Three people have died in quake-related incidents in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Lalmonirhat in Bangladesh. All three died reportedly due to heart attack caused by panic. The tremor was felt across Bangladesh, reported PTI.

TV news channels reported that several dilapidated buildings in the old part of Dhaka developed cracks after the pre-dawn earthquake. Several people reportedly jumped in panic from the rooftops of their buildings to escape.

1.40 pm: A list of helpline numbers has been released:

1.15 pm: Facebook has activated its safety feature allowing people to mark themselves as safe if they live in places affected by the earthquake. Reports are coming in of casualties in the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal as well, though there is no official confirmation yet. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki tweeted that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him about developments in the state.

11.50 am: Officials from the Seismological Observatory of Manipur University said Monday's earthquake was the second-strongest one to hit Manipur in 60 years, The Hindu reported. “It was 7.3 in Richter scale in 1957. It was 6.7, last night,” said Manichandra Sanoujam, the observatory's chief, adding that there have been at least 24 aftershocks since the quake struck early in the morning. Union minister Jeetendra Singh is expected to arrive in Manipur shortly, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction, ANI reported.

11.30 am: Manipur's Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh told ANI that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to him and offered all possible help. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi also sent out a message offering prayers and support to those affected by the earthquake. So far, one AN-32 and one Avro aircraft supplied by the Indian Air Force are carrying NDRF personnel to Imphal from Guwahati.

11.00 am: According to PTI, at least six people have been reported dead so far, and the number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue teams reach the more remote locations. Power supply has been cut-off in Imphal.

10.05 am: Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, the Economic Times reported, and said the Centre has dispatched two National Disaster Response Force teams to the state by air. The announcement came minutes after a fresh tremor measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale was reported in Manipur. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Riiju is expected to reach Imphal in the afternoon to monitor the situation.

Here's a look at the epicentre:

9.30 am: An earthquake that measured 6.7 on the Richter scale hit some states in north and north-east India at 4.36 am on Monday morning, leaving buildings damaged and more than 100 people injured. At least four people have been killed, according to the Times of India. The toll is yet to be confirmed by the government. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake had its epicentre in Tamenglong, Manipur, and was felt across Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, West Bengal and Nagaland.

People took to social media to report cracks in their buildings and damage to household items such as mirrors, glass cabinets and ceiling fans. ANI reported that 35 people were injured, many of them in Manipur’s capital Imphal. Others, including Congress MLA from Imphal Biren Singh, reported wall collapses around their homes.

Prime Minister Modi intimated Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Assam, and asked him to oversee the situation. Modi also spoke to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki about the situation in the region. The home ministry announced that they were actively monitoring the situation and National Disaster Response Force teams had been sent to the areas to help with rescue operations. A national crisis management committee meeting is scheduled for 10.30 am to assess the situation, reported ANI.