Sikkim tremor killed 10 in Bengal and Bihar

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The official death toll in West Bengal and Bihar, following Sunday’s earthquake, whose epicenter was in Sikkim, has risen to 10. Darjeeling district magistrate, Saumitra Mohan assumed that most of the old buildings of the hills have developed cracks and in many cases walls have cavern in and roads have also ruined.

The district magistrate’s office in Darjeeling, his house and the old secretariat building of Darjeeling town showed serious ruptures. The treasury office in Kalimpong has been shifted to the town hall. Deputy magistrate, Namo Sherpa managed to escape narrowly. “I was in my chamber when the earthquake occurred. I went under the table. Within seconds the debris from the ceiling including bricks and wooden planks began to fall all around me. However, I remained unhurt.”

Walls and ceilings of building of most of the old schools including Loreto Convent, St Teresa’s and Mount Hermon have been spoiled. “Around 125 schools in theDarjeelingsub-division alone have been affected,” said Binay Dewan, president, Janmukti Secondary Teachers’ Organization. 

In Darjeeling district, Pushpa Agarwal, 34, died when masses of debris fell on her. Bhim Tamang of Gorubathan and Vinod Agarwal of Siliguri died of head injuries. An elderly woman apparently died due to a cardiac attack in Darjeeling right after the quake. In Bihar the death toll in the state have climbed to three with one reported from Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district.

However, the police are confirming whether the man died because of the earthquake. Principal Secretary Vyasji said: “We have been dispersing awareness about earthquakes for the past couple of years through posters and flexi boards, but the crisis situation made people unable to recall them. The awareness campaign needs to be continuous.”

Bihar State Disaster Management Authority vice-chairman, Anil Kumar Sinha said, “We are writing to all district magistrates to guarantee that dos and don’ts about quakes are to be shown in cinema halls and displayed at public places and schools.”

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