Earthquake overview : A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the Himalayan states Nepal and Sikkim (India) 12:40:48 UT (10:48 PM at epicenter) The depth of the hypocenter was at 20.7 km. The earthquake caused victims and huge damage in Sikkim (India), India and Nepal. It was also well felt in Bangladesh.
Read also: Very strong damaging earthquake in the Nepal / Sikkim (India) border area
Read also: Understanding the very strong damaging Nepal/Sikkim earthquake
Read also: Video selection showing the many faces of this cruel earthquake
Read also: Nepal / Sikkim experiences – 3 countries, 3 different stories
Read also: SEEDS Sikkim Early Recovery Plan
Read also: 20 minutes news compilation video
Read also: The most impressive Image series of the Nepal / Sikkim Himalaya earthquake so far
First of all we want to thank for all of you who sent these reports. The list is not complete, we will update it as soon as possible. From the hundreds of Felt It reports we have received, only a portion of it is printed here.
"I Have Felt It" reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com
MMI values (if indicated) after the text (III: Weak shaking, IV Light shaking, V Moderate shaking, VI Strong shaking, VII Very Strong shaking)
India,Sikkim (Rongli): In Rongli Bazar it is a part of Sikkim on 18.09.11 on Sunday at 06:18pm there was a strong shaking many houses cracked and collapse in Rongli people are very desprate in Rongli all people are coming to temple and monastery to live. Ram kumar gupta,Rongli Bazar,East Sikkim
Siliguri, India: VII - i was in my flat,on 4th floor at that time......felt like i am on plane....huge shaking....everything went wrong ....things broken........thank god i am safe at least.
Jalpaiguri, India: VI - UNBELIEVABLE! Still i can't think the moment of earthquake!
Siliguri, India: IV - I have feel aftershock at 3.30 am or close
Arunachal Pradesh, India: V - today at around 6.10 pm, the sun was just set. i was standing on my terrace of a 4 floor house at Itanagar, Arunachal pradesh, i felt the jolts. i hold a pillar and it was shaking, i remain there for a few seconds but jolt was continuing. then i heard people shouting and rushing out on the road. i too get down on the ground floor and then on the road but still it was on and the trembling sound was coming from the shutters of a nearby shop. within no time people were on the road and were badly panicked. no damage of property or any casualty is reported here so far. but the tremor lasted for more than a minute.
Kolkata, India: IV - Tremors felt for almost a minute. One set of old buildings on the eastern fringe of the city, built on marshy lands, said to have developed cracks during the quake.
Siliguri, India: VIII - Observed light objects to fall down in my room
Kathmandu, Nepal: VII - i saw my death inch closer for that period of 100 seconds .. i m still shaking
India: VI - Ghanta aju ta jhandai la sakako,,,,,nearly died
Siliguri, India: VI - It was too scary.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VII - I live in the third floor of the building in Kathmandu. I was preparing to cook my meal. I was near fridge, and doing my job with spices. The fridge started shaking. At first I thought I hit it with my leg and gave it damn. But soon I realized that the window frame was also shaking strongly. And I realized it to be the earthquake. I thought it was moderate and just stood there but soon the shake became very strong. Then I stood under the frame of door and watched the whole thing shaking (Fridge, Window , door, Dining table and especially the bulb was shaking "to and fro" like in horror movie). The whole house was shaking.....
It was like the movie but happening right before my eye. It all happened in about a minute leaving a deep memory. BIGGEST EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.
Unknown location: V-VI - It was one of the most scary...earthquake I have ever experienced.I pray for the people who have lost their dear ones and those you were injured.:-)...take care people!!
Siliguri, India: VIII - Oh my god, I thought that I am not going to survive today. Initially it was high frequency latter turned in to high amplitude. Though I was not in a mental condition to see the duration of quake but not less than a minute. My building has developed several cracks in brick structure. we are awaiting aftershocks
Kathmandu, Nepal: IV - The building (i am on the first floor),began to shake, like I was performing a balancing act). It was more like a rolling to and fro feeling, lost my sense of balance. Now after four hours I am still dizzy.
Kalimpong, India: VIII - I am in Kalimpong - its 10.32 pm and my legs are still wobbling. I am with my family including 2 young kids. We are being told to expect to be on high alert for the next 24 hrs. What should we be doing ? Can the kids go to school tomorrow morning ?
Darjeeling, India: VI - I was very very afraid when it was shaking and never saw shaking like that way. It was my first experience in my life and i like to thank our life.
Jharkhand,Inida: - Dear all.I am from Ranchi,Jharkhand,INDIA.Felt very strong and thrilling quake when was taking light food watching t.v.Felt stroke in the body.May be it was due to my naked foot on the floor on 3rd floor in my apartment.Was a extreme previously not felt experience.Wishing good health and safe life for all.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - Strongest of all I have experienced.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - I was at a mall , initially it was shaky , then everything glasses n plate fell n broke , n flower fell, lasted around 10-15 mins . There was a stampede to get out of the mall I was pushed really badly by some people trying to get down the stairs , but I don't think anyone got hurt at our area , but I saw 5 people died on the news.
Tsirang, Bhutan: VI - We were inside the house when it happened, the things from the shevles felland we ran outside for safety. Nothing major happened, but in other areas there are reports of mud and land slides. Even cracks on the building were reported in the local news.
Guwahati, Assam, India: VI-VII - The tremors started with light to moderate shaking..For about 4/5 seconds the shaking was quite severe ..then again it went on to moderate shaking....every one came out on the streets ...
Siliguri, India: VII - severe earthquake in siliguri... 1 min 13 sec..Crack all over the wall at my house
Nepal: VI - All were very frightened. We stood under the door and then went outside. The house was shaking.
Rajshahi, Bangladesh: VI - I was sitting on the bed. It started bumping and shaking like in vehicle. So I shouted to my mother that if its an earthquake. She told yes she felt it. I got panicked and stood under an interior wall where i saw showcase Almira, ceiling fan shaking with sound. I ran to the neighbor flat and told its an earthquake, saying we couldn't find the key of the collapsible gate. I ran downstairs, the staircase was felt shaking and trembling, most importantly my heart, got chilled with my palms, feet and i was worried so much!
Kathmandu, Nepal: VII - Very strong shaking...
Jalpaiguri, India: VII - I was in a shop and suddenly all items from the rack fell off...
The tremors were strong for about 6 secs. Our hostel building suffered a vertical crack.
Unknown Location: - i was on the road and suddenly people began to scream and i saw hangers in the shop was swinging then i felt i was also unsteady then my eyes went to nearby pole which was also swinging then i stand calmly and ran towards my home when the earthquake stopped.will we experience more after shock in near hours?
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - We Feel here very strong shaking earthquake. God is really almighty.
Thimphu, Bhutan: V - Moderate shaking lasting for at least 30 seconds.
Phuentsholing, Bhutan: V - i was scared...things were falling of.....walls got some cracks!!
Damak, Nepal: V - Prolonged and moderate shaking, although no damage.
Kathmandu, Nepal: V - I was in the kithchen, I did not realize the quake untill other inmates of the house make noises outside the building. then I heard the channel gates sound.
Dhaka, Bngladesh: V - All on sudden Dhaka city felt the shaking of earthquake at local time 6.40/.45 PM.Shaking continue about 2 minutes long.People of all building get out from their houses on the street. It's horrible experience for Dhaka.
Kathmandu, Nepal: III - Light fixtures swinging in our home and neighboring buildings were visibly trembling. We felt a swaying sensation in the ground as we stood in our yard. We observed and felt movement for about 2.5 minutes.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - Felt very strong and lasted pretty long may be more than a minute. My dog Spookie knew it was coming before we did, she started barking like crazy until my wife sitting on the computer felt it. The metal railing(grilldoor) started with a light rattle like someone was asking to come in than gradually it started shaking like crazy - as if whoever was outside demanded to come it was really loud rattling and scary. We could literally feel the waves and the building (4floors) was shaking crazy.
Bangladesh: VI - This was my first and scary experience in my entire life
Siliguri, India: VII - Was preparing tea, ran for my life when shaking did nt stop, then went inside to turn off the gas!
Kathamndu, Nepal: V - Initial reports confirmed, three persons were injured when the wall of British Embassy in Kathmandu collapsed due to the quake.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - very very scary... and i am still shaking .... arghhh!!!
Guwahati, India: VII - My apartment on 5th floor shook tremendously with bottles falling off table.Shook at least 30 seconds as that is the time it took for me to reach ground floor by stairs. It stopped as soon as we reached there. Now waiting for the aftershock.
Dhaka, Bangladesh: V - I stay at 14th floor at hotel Sarina/Dhaka/Bangladesh. It was pretty shaky, I think because I was on 14th floor...and it was an unusual long one...
Malbazar, India: VI - Very frieghtening
Dhaka, Bangladesh: III - fans and lights slightly shaking, duration about 30 seconds, security building evacuate the building for 15 minutes.
Kathmandu, Nepal: V - I was on 6th floor of the building when i felt the earthquake. It was difficult to walk steadily. we ran to the ground floor.
Kathmandu, Nepal: VI - Went on for a fairly long time. Exactly around 18 26.
Jamshedpur, India: IV - Felt a little shaking of apartment for 1-2 min or more.
Dhaka, Bangladesh: VI - The bed was moving and people ran out on the streets in panic.
Kolkata, India: III - was my first experience with earthquakes and i thought i have some bad physical troubles, with circulation or something....everything was slightly swinging....maybe one hour ago
Dhanbad, India: I am a science student and an indian residing in katras bazar, Dhanbad, jharkhand. Today we felt an earthquake of very little vibration for a duration of about 10 sec.
Kathmandu, Nepal: V - it shook for about 20 sec.everyone around felt it. went outdoors.
Kathmandu, Nepal: III - Experienced for some what long period...for about 30 seconds
Kolkata, Alipore, India: IV - Duration longer than usual
Dehradun, India: IV - I was sitting with rest to the wall and it suddenly started shaking..and the windows too
Dhaka, Bangladesh: V-VI - Untill now this is the longest earthquake i have ever felt
New Delhi, India: IV - Lamps hanging from the ceiling started moving on its own.. Lasted for about 20 seconds
Dhaka, Bangladesh: III - Between 6:40 and 6:45pm local time. Duration about 30 seconds.
Guwahati, India: VI - It was strongest quake we have felt in IITG. Guys just started shouting and running towards ground. once again it was fun as damage hadn't happened.
Kathmandu, Nepal: V - My body is still shaking mann!!!!!
Noida, India: II - Felt earthquake with weak shaking in my college hostel room at around 6:15 event collaborated by my friends too. Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi, India: - Long duration earthquake with variable tremor density.
Ghaziabad, India: III - I felt an earthquake in my hostel room 5 minutes ago as i was studying.It was weak.I felt as my bed was shaking.
Dhaka, Bangladesh: VI - I just felt about one minute long tremor. All tenants of my 30 apartment building were out on the road
New Delhi, India: V - I was on the second floor my chair started shaking around 6:30
SSilchar, India: IV - I was doing net on my laptop sitting on a sofa set in my drawing room. Suddenly I felt that some undulating movements.
Ranchi, India: IV - I am watching computer sudden i feel that all my furniture siverling or you can say in hindi kapna joro se (great tremor felt)
Dhaka, Bangladesh: V - Horrible experience 🙁
Gorakhpur, India: IV - Our home was shaking and fans too in our rooms ,we felt for 20 seconds
Jamshedpur, India: III - Hardly 1 min we felt earthquake.. at bistupur,jamshedpur,India. every1 came out of our appartment
Bogra, Bangladesh: VI - Almost a minute
Kanpur, India: - I was simply surfing the net on notebook, suddenly realize the screen start jerking and continued for 20 seconds we all ran away to open street.
Thimpu, Bhutan: V - This is my first time experiencing a huge earthquake and it is horrible everything shaking
??? : I felt it. I was in my room. My dad told me that lets run as he can see and feel the tremor. I can see the shake back in my room... the whole building was shaking down.. i can see things starts falling down..the scream and cries coming out from every house.... Thank god we do not have huge damage... Bhutan is safe....Peace, Prayers and Blessings...May the peace of the Lord be with you, especially at this time of bereavement.
Nepal,Nayabazar: Me and my mom were working in the kitchen and our body shook and I knew earthquake began.We came down and me my mother and two sister went under the bed.
Angel DS,Sikkim,India: Its shocking moment,,,,shouting n rushing outside our houses and stayed whole night at courtyard/ground with neighbours....no light,no phone,,,no food,,,its black day,,,but,,Thank GOD,you loved and saved us for new life once to do good for all living souls with LOVISM. Still Trembling our hands,,, Hope u all fine dear friends,,,
india,assam,gerukamukh: india,assam,gerukamukh
??? : i was studing at home and suddenly my mirror and my bed started shaking... at that time no one was at home i was really scared of it and i called one of my frndz who said to to be calm....thanxx god that it was not too dangerous and we are safe today..!!!1
Lalitpur, Nepal: i've experienced this type of heavy shaking for a first time. i was in my room and doing my work. suddenly, i felt my head is circling and i go out and ask my sister what is going on? and after 4-5 seconds its starts again. i saw the bulbs are moving and i said to my sister,"common pick my nephew and go out, here is a earthquake. fast! fast!!" and we go out and people are screaming and some of them are also crying, children were very shocked and thrilled. they were also crying and people were staying together and holding there one another's hand. wow!!! great experience but my heart is asking me that like in the movie "2012" is actually will happen or not? or this is the first step of that??!! confused....anybody can help me in this???
Salugara Siliguri India: It started mildly and became more and more vigorously with every passing second. Our building is very strong and has double bricks wall on the outside boundary but still it shook very wildly. It seemed like it will not stop and the whole building will collapse. There was a sense of panic everywhere.
Dhaka, Bangladesh: V - It was a !!!! experience to me. Suddenly i had feel i'm shaking with my chair. fortunately I had been waiting at tea stall after leaving office. I saw, "electric wires are dancing". Then I saw, "People are leaving their house to go to safe zone"
Siliguri, India: VI - I was online on facebook on my PC, suddenly sum show peices from the cupbaord fell, and it started shaking all on a certain with great force, even we were unable to stand as we were feeling like fainting, My sister n my mom went outside where the Street light poles were shaking, we all left the home n gathered on the nearby ground where the whole conoly came, there was a kind of sound which was stricking our ear it was like a Helicopter is flying above us. the shaking of the earth last till 5-6mins but the news reporters are not giving the correct info, it may cause future damage, they are taking it lightly.
Siliguri, India: VII - I was sitting on my chair with my friends and we were having fun. It was a festival for the Bengali community as we consider Lord Vishwakarma as the engineer and architect of the gods and we celebrate this day. It was a shocking experience, first in my lifetime. I felt what fear of life can create what a panic really is. People jumped from terrace. people died of no reason. I pray god please don't make anyone else feel this.
Bhutan: VII - It was my worst experice of an earthquake. Multiple cracks seen on the walls of the gound floor of a 3 storied reinforced concerete building, after a gentle shake intially whihc then developed into intense twisting. Very glad that no casulitites are recorded at the moment.
Unknown location: I was reading by sitting on floor. My sister was on bench. She told that she felt something awkward. Then I experienced a sudden shock and I heard people shouting outside. At the same time brother came and told us to rush to the ground. We then rushed. Thank god we'r safe.
Phuentsholing, Bhutan: - I live at the third floor of our building and when our building start shaking I and my family realized it as an earthquake. The shaking turned into a literal SWINGING like a boat with violent sounds of shaking. Initially, we thought it would be over in a moment. but the most horrifying aspect of the earthquake was its duration. It kept on shaking for more than 40 seconds, terrifying one and all. All residents of the building were crying, screaming and running downstairs. At that moment, the only thought coming in my mind was that it was all over. We could not spend that night in our building and stayed outside terrified.
Gangtok, Sikkim: I was sitting in front of my computer and was chatting with my friends on facebook
then suddenly i felt the shaking, I thought that it will stop but it started shaking very badly and the lights went off
I thought I was dead but many thanks to God that me and my family members are safe! lets pray for the victims and hope it won't happen again!
Delhi, India: i feel like vibrating slowly on chair. and then i shouted for confirmation.
Siliguri, West Bengal - NEWS ARE COMING THAT ANOTHER BIG EARTHQUAKE IS GONNA COME...IS IT TRUE???MY DAD IS THR AT GANGTOK. HE IS NOT ABLE TO COME BACK TO SILIGURI DUE TO SEVERE LANDSLIDES...REALLY HAD A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE YESTERDAY....
Earthquake report comment : THIS IS NONSENSE as NOBODY can predict the time, location and strength of earthquake.
GUWAHATI, REHABARI ASSAM: I WAS VERY SCARED WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED!!!I LIVE IN GUWAHATI, REHABARI ASSAM...I WAS FEELING LIKE AS IF OUR BUILDINNG IS GOING TO FALL AND WE ALL WILL DIE!! BUT LUCK WAS ON OUR SIDE AND NOTHING HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY NOR TO THE BUILDING!!!!
Jhapa, Nepal: I was preparing to cook dinner in darkness as there was no electricity when i felt the movement.I turned back to scold my sis thinking she started playing Skeeping rope again.But, she wasn't. She was standing behind me scared. Thats when I realized its an earthquake. Never experienced it before I didn't know what am I suppose to do. We waited but it got stronger. we went to take cover under door hoping it will stop but it didn't. That's when I decide it's time to evacuate the house. I grabbed a torch, my mobile, shut the gas and candle and rush down stairs. By the time we reach to street shaking had stopped. We did feel after shakes lasting around 1-2 secs many time in the night. I am now sure to take precautions and be prepared to face these kind of incidents.
Dhaka,Bangladesh: It was the first experience of earthquake in my life. That was very funny.
Uttar Pradesh, India: I was studying that time when this happened. ihad never experienced eartnquakes so i thought something was wrong with me but my thinking went wrong when my father shouted "earthquake" leaving everything we ran out of our house. Thank god no one was injured and no damage occured
Legship, Sikkim: The earthquake shake very strongly,that many buildings and roads are damages!!! about 70% buldings and house are damages.N.H.P.C Dam is also been damage,even often legship G.S.School has been damage!!!!
Kathmandu, Nepal : I was nearly death. i am shocked even i feel like earthquake even when it is not happening. the whole house was swinging when it happened.
Bangladesh: The Chandelier in our living room was shaking.
Gangtok, Sikkim: it ws arnd 6:00pm and we were planning the interiors of our newly constructd house at gangtok...as i stood wid my mom, my younger sister n my sister in law i felt sumthing shaking below my feet n it got worse...without any second thought we rushd fr da kids n fled 1 storey down to da ground...i can remember myself screaming down da stairs...it ws difficult to walk under such violent shake but we managd it somehow...i thoght of nothing else but death..i felt that dis moment marks the end of our lives..however we fled down to survive.when on da road i lookd at our building it ws still shaking...this was the first time ever in my life to have seen such a violent earthquake...i stood trembling outside for a while and then started looking for my family...my heart was pounding hard and luckily i found evry1 safe...while on the road people were yelling and crying, kids were terrified and none of them were silent...slowly da road ws filld wid people....electricity ws gone and the phone lines were dead...we were cut off from the rest of the world...there ws darkness everywhere n what prevailed ws a state of panic...we faced 4 more tremors till dawn...nobody dared to go inside their houses...it rained but people were still on the road..dawn brought no hope for us...current ws still gone n phone lines were still dead....there were serlveral cracks on our building....today is the first day after the shake, i still tremble when inside the house...so we keep loitering outside on the road to return home just for food....i can still picture the scene of our house swinging before me.... Karma norden, gangtok, sikkim
Paro, Bhutan: I felt the quake first as one small up and down motion of the floor and then a strong shaking of the building which seemed to last about 15-20 seconds. From what I can tell there has not been very much damage in the Paro or Thimpu areas of Bhutan and I have heard of no deaths. We felt one small aftershock about an hour after the quake lasting about 1-3 seconds
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude :6.9
UTC Time: 2011 September 18 12:40:48 UTC
Local Time: Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 06:10:48 PM
Depth (Hypocenter) : 19.7 km (12.2 miles)
Geo-location(s) : 27.723°N, 88.064°E
68 km (42 miles) NW of Gangtok, Sikkim, India
119 km (73 miles) NNW of Shiliguri, West Bengal, India
272 km (169 miles) E of KATHMANDU, Nepal
Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area.
Historic earthquakes map
Seismic hazard map
Shaking map
Human impact map
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I did feel it – Ik heb het gevoeld – Το έκανα αισθάνεται – Yo lo he sentido – 我的确感到了 – 私はそれを感じていました- Ich habe es gefühlt – Bunu hissediyorum yaptı – لم أشعر أنه
it was the most horrible xperience of my life...slg is no more a safe place.
i felt like it was the end
Thand god I'm safe. God saved us.
I have feel a another aftershock in siliguri at 3.17am