2011 Sikkim earthquake

2011 Sikkim earthquake
2011 Sikkim earthquake is located in India
2011 Sikkim earthquake
2011 Sikkim earthquake is located in Nepal
2011 Sikkim earthquake
UTC time2011-09-18 12:40:51
ISC event17238846
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local date18 September 2011
Local time18:10 IST
18:25 NPT
18:40 BTT
20:40 CST
Duration30–40 seconds
Magnitude6.9 Mw
Depth19.7 km (12.1 mi)
EpicenterTaplejung, Nepal
27°43′23″N 88°03′50″E / 27.723°N 88.064°E / 27.723; 88.064
TypeIntraplate[1]
Areas affectedIndia
Bangladesh
Nepal
Bhutan
China
Total damage$22.3 billion USD[2]
Max. intensityMMI VII (Very strong)[3]
LandslidesYes
AftershocksYes
CasualtiesAt least 111 killed

The 2011 Sikkim earthquake (also known as the 2011 Himalayan earthquake) occurred with a moment magnitude of 6.9 and was centered within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, near the border of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim, at 18:10 IST on Sunday, 18 September.[4] The earthquake was felt across northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and southern Tibet.

At least 111 people were killed in the earthquake.[5] Most of the deaths occurred in Sikkim, with reports of fatalities in and near Singtam in the East Sikkim district.[6] Several buildings collapsed in Gangtok.[7] Eleven are reported dead in Nepal, including three killed when a wall collapsed in the British Embassy in Kathmandu.[8] Elsewhere, structural damage occurred in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and across Tibet; another seven fatalities were confirmed in the latter region.

The quake came just a few days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana's Sonipat district, sending tremors in New Delhi.[9] The earthquake was the fourth significant earthquake in India of September 2011.[10]

Exactly a year after the original earthquake at 5:55 pm on 18 September 2012, another earthquake of magnitude 4.1 struck Sikkim, sparking panic among the people observing the anniversary of the original quake.[1][11][12][13]

  1. ^ a b "Magnitude 6.9 – Sikkim, India: Tectonic Summary". United States Geological Survey. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference INDIA_2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Pager – M 6.9 – Sikkim, India". United States Geological Survey. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  4. ^ "Magnitude 6.9 – Sikkim, India". United States Geological Survey. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  5. ^ Himalayan quake toll climbs to 116, 40 stranded foreign tourists rescued Archived 26 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, DNA, 21 September 2011
  6. ^ Earthquake claims two lives in Sikkim Archived 11 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu, 18 September 2011
  7. ^ Bhardwaj, Mayank (18 September 2011). "Magnitude 6.8 quake in India, several dead". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  8. ^ Earthquake kills 5 in Nepal Archived 5 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, DNA, 18 September 2011
  9. ^ "Very strong earthquake in Sikkim, India". 18 September 2011. Earthquake-report.com. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Sikkim quake is India's fourth this september". NDTV. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  11. ^ Press Trust of India (18 September 2012). "Moderate quake jolts Sikkim, no report of casualty, damage". business-standard.com.
  12. ^ Abhinav Bhatt (18 September 2012). "Tremor felt in Sikkim, exactly a year after devastating quake". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Geological Survey of India" (PDF). 18 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2012.