Gangtok, February 27 Fifty-seven earthquakes have been recorded in the Sikkim-Nepal-Bhutan-Tibet region since February 9, of which 41 originated in Sikkim, a top official said on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, State Relief Commissioner, Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department Rinzing Chewang Bhutiam said that seismic activity is common in the Himalayan belt, adding that the strongest tremor recorded during this period measured 4.6 magnitude in Gyalshing on Thursday.
Minor tremors have been felt across the state, but he said such occurrences are generally not a cause for major concern.
Two earthquakes of magnitude 4.6 and 3.5 jolted the Himalayan state on Thursday.
The first quake, of 4.6 magnitude, hit the state at 11:24 am. The epicenter of the quake was 4 km northeast of Yuksom in Gyalshing district at a depth of 10 km, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
The second earthquake of 3.5 magnitude jolted Mangan district at 12:17 pm. The epicenter was 11 km northwest of Gangtok, also at a depth of 10 km.
officials said.
Highlighting safety measures, Bhutia urged people to remain calm and follow the 'Drop, Cover and Hold' protocol during tremors.
He advised people indoors to take shelter under sturdy furniture, protect their heads, and hold on until shaking stops, and then move to open spaces away from buildings, trees, and electric poles.
He also recommended shutting off gas and electricity connections where feasible and cautioned against spreading unverified rumours.
Stressing preparedness, Bhutia urged families to identify safe zones and escape routes in advance.
He noted that falling objects pose significant risks and recommended securing loose fittings and avoiding placement of heavy objects overhead.
On institutional preparedness, he informed that since February 9, schools have been sensitized on earthquake safety in coordination with the education department.
Mock drills are being conducted regularly, disaster management clubs are being formed in schools under a teacher nodal officer, and school safety handbooks have been distributed.
Regarding village-level preparedness, Bhutia stated that SSDMA and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) continue to conduct awareness programmes.