Panic gripped Manipur as two earthquakes struck in quick succession late on Tuesday night, with tremors strong enough to be felt across neighbouring regions, including Bangladesh. The first jolt, measuring a significant 5.2 on the Richter scale, hit at 1:54 AM, causing widespread alarm and prompting many residents to rush out of their homes into the safety of the streets. Just over half an hour later, at 2:26 AM, a second, less intense earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 further rattled the already nervous populace. While the double whammy of seismic activity caused considerable anxiety, thankfully, there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The National Center for Seismology confirmed that the epicenter of the first, stronger earthquake was located in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, approximately 40 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. The subsequent tremor, though weaker, originated closer to the surface, about 25 kilometers deep, in Manipur’s Noney district. This marks the second instance of multiple earthquakes in Manipur within a relatively short period, following similar occurrences on March 5th when two quakes, measuring 5.7 and 4.1, struck the Kamjong district within an hour. The repeated seismic activity underscores the region’s vulnerability to earthquakes, keeping residents on edge, especially during the quiet hours of the night.