5.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Bhutan Triggers Tremors Across Sikkim and West Bengal

A magnitude 5.6 to 5.8 earthquake struck Bhutan late Sunday night, sending strong tremors across Sikkim and parts of North Bengal , officials and global monitoring agencies said.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) , the quake occurred at 11:06 pm IST (17:36 UTC) with its epicenter located about 15–19 km from Punakha–Thimphu region in Bhutan . The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of around 10 km , which contributed to the wide area where tremors were felt across the eastern Himalayas.

The tremors lasted only a few seconds but were strong enough to prompt residents in Gangtok and other parts of Sikkim to rush outdoors as a precautionary measure. Similar reports were received from multiple districts of North Bengal.

In West Bengal, shaking was felt in Siliguri, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar , while mild tremors were also reported in parts of Kolkata and adjoining areas.

Seismic agencies, including the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS) , reported the magnitude slightly differently, ranging between 5.6 and 5.8 , which is common in early earthquake assessments.

Authorities confirmed that there have been no reports of casualties, injuries, or property damage in Sikkim, North Bengal, or Bhutan so far. Disaster management officials in Sikkim said the situation is under continuous monitoring , especially for potential aftershocks.

Some monitoring platforms indicated the possibility of minor aftershocks following the main quake , though none have been reported as significant or damaging.

The Himalayan region, which lies in a highly active seismic zone due to the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, frequently experiences such tremors. Officials have urged residents to remain cautious but reassured that no emergency situation has developed.