Kolkata: Kolkata and parts of West Bengal was
on Wednesday rocked by successive mild tremors in a span of less than
two hours following the massive temblors in Sumatra.
The first tremor was felt at 2.42 pm and the second at
4.13 pm, Regional Meteorological Centre Director, G C Debnath
said.
Tremors were also felt in North and South 24 Parganas
districts adjoining Kolkata and in Darjeeling and Siliguri in
north Bengal, official reports said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who returned
from Delhi, told reporters at the airport that district
administrations have been alerted and people should not panic.
A high alert was sounded along the coast with warnings
issued to fishermen and tourists.
Sea water might rise along the coast, Disaster Management
Secretary, Indewar Pandey said.
An alert has also been issued to district magistrates in
North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore and
Howrah districts, Irrigation Minister Manas Bhuina said.
The minister said that leave of all department
employees has been cancelled for the next seven days.
A control room has been set up at the Irrigation
Department headquarters at Salt Lake.
Metro services in the city were suspended for 48 minutes,
Deputy General Manager (General) of Metro Railway, Pratyush
Sinha said.
Sinha said the temporary shut-down enabled railway
engineers to inspect the tunnels for any damage or subsidence
of the tracks and any damage to electrical installations.
According to reports, some buildings in the metropolis
developed minor cracks.
The tremor led people and employees in high rise buildings
to move out on the streets.
At Sector V in Salt Lake, some offices closed for the day.
Police said there no loss of life or injury in Kolkata.
PTI
