Quake leaves people with fear-psychosis

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR, April 15: Just within a gap of three months, Barak Valley along with the entire north east has been jolted again on April 13 around 7:25 pm. According to the seismological survey of India, the quake measured 6.8 on Richter Scale and the epicentre was Myanmar. Though the recent tremour on January 4 also measured on the same scale, the duration of this quake was a little over 2 minutes. It was a jolt which shook the high rise buildings and multi complex flats, sending people in a state of shock. According to information from Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, there have been no reports of any damage to property or loss of life. In Cachar, excepting some minor incidents of cracks and faults in buildings including that of the Fire Brigade stationed at Tarapur of this town. A small portion of the wall of the Brigade has been damaged.

The memory of last January quake which caused damages to several buildings was fading away when the April 12 jolt came as yet another shock to the people. It is to be recollected that though this valley has been shaken or jolted several times being located on seismic belts, the tremour of On December 31, 1985 has been the worst in the living memory. 8 persons had lost their lives due to collapse of kuccha houses in Soi block, the epicentre was the nearest Soimukh, the confluence of Barak and river Soi. The quake of 1985 brought in a host of geologists and experts from Hyderabad and Jorhat who after thoroughly examining the various geological and geophysical features of this valley pointed specifically to the fact that the region being not very far from the highly seismic belt of Myanmar is subjected to earthquakes. Besides, the Haflong-thrust running through the North Cachar Hills and Sylhet-fault, 50 km away, makes this valley prone to seismic jolts.

 The frequent tremours have gripped the people of this valley with a fear-psychosis, raising question about their safety measures. Since science and scientists are yet to evolve any method to forewarn about the impending earthquake, the question is how long people will continue to live with a sense of fear. The question making round in the minds of common people is how far is the next quake?

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