Strong quake felt most strongly in western India

  
NEW DELHI, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Residents in western and northern India felt 
strong tremors for about 30 seconds on Friday. 

There was no word on casualties or damage. 

A meteorological department official in New Delhi said there had been an 
earthquake, but said he needed 10 minutes to confirm the epicentre and 
intensity. 

People in the western state of Gujarat, which is prone to earthquakes of up 
to seven on the open-ended Richter scale, said they felt the tremor very 
strongly. 

"The building shook so much that it developed cracks," said Vinay Kumar, who 
works for Gujarat Petroleum Corp. "It was like being on a swing. Nobody could 
get out for those 20 or 30 seconds." 

Residents in New Delhi said buildings swayed and furniture moved about from 
about 8:50 a.m. (0320 GMT). Many people ran out of their houses into the 
street. 

The quake was also felt in Bombay, which is around 1,400 km (875 miles) from 
the capital. 

"It was quite gentle," said a Bombay resident. "It lasted about two minutes. 
I felt the dressing-table shaking and the bed as well." 

The last major earthquake to hit India was in March 1999. Measuring 6.8 on 
the Richter scale, the quake and its aftershocks killed 100 people and 
injured 300 in the Himalayan foothills and was felt across many parts of 
northern India, western Nepal and southern China. 

23:04 01-25-01

Strong quake felt most strongly in western India



  

NEW DELHI, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Residents in western and northern India felt 

strong tremors for about 30 seconds on Friday. 



There was no word on casualties or damage. 



A meteorological department official in New Delhi said there had been an 

earthquake, but said he needed 10 minutes to confirm the epicentre and 

intensity. 



People in the western state of Gujarat, which is prone to earthquakes of up 

to seven on the open-ended Richter scale, said they felt the tremor very 

strongly. 



"The building shook so much that it developed cracks," said Vinay Kumar, who 

works for Gujarat Petroleum Corp. "It was like being on a swing. Nobody could 

get out for those 20 or 30 seconds." 



Residents in New Delhi said buildings swayed and furniture moved about from 

about 8:50 a.m. (0320 GMT). Many people ran out of their houses into the 

street. 



The quake was also felt in Bombay, which is around 1,400 km (875 miles) from 

the capital. 



"It was quite gentle," said a Bombay resident. "It lasted about two minutes. 

I felt the dressing-table shaking and the bed as well." 



The last major earthquake to hit India was in March 1999. Measuring 6.8 on 

the Richter scale, the quake and its aftershocks killed 100 people and 

injured 300 in the Himalayan foothills and was felt across many parts of 

northern India, western Nepal and southern China. 



23:04 01-25-01