This Article is From Sep 22, 2011

Aftershocks measuring 3.9 magnitude strike Sikkim

Gangtok: Just days after an earthquake caused massive destruction in Sikkim, mild tremors were felt in Sikkim tonight due to aftershocks measuring 3.9 on the Richter Scale.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the aftershocks happened at 10:15 pm.

A devastating earthquake measuring a forceful 6.8 on the Richter scale struck large parts of Sikkim on Sunday. A total of 700 houses have reportedly collapsed across the state; 500 of them have suffered substantial damage. Rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy rain and mudslides that blocked the roads leading to villages in the remote, mountainous region.

Many villages in quake-hit Sikkim are still out of reach and thousands are said to be waiting for help. Rescue operations remain the biggest challenge as rain and landslides are severely hampering the efforts and bad weather is not allowing helicopters to land.

The death toll in Sikkim has crossed 78 so far and it may go up.
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