Four dead, 100 injured in 6.8 Earthquake in India

IMPHAL, India, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Four people have been killed and 100 severely injured in an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale in Northeast India early Monday.

The quake's epicenter was just over 20 miles from the city of Imphal, in the mostly remote region of Manipur state, near the India-Myanmar border. Tremors were also felt in various parts of Northeast India.

The quake hit at 4:35 a.m. and lasted at least 35 seconds, and up to two minutes, residents said. There are no tall buildings in the sparsely populated area and mostly small houses.

Cracks were visible in several buildings in Imphal and some could be damaged more or collapse in aftershocks.

The U.S. Geological Survey determined the depth to be about 34 miles.

"We felt the Nepal earthquake last year, this was the strongest I have ever felt," said Bob Swaggerty, a resident of Dimapur, about 125 miles north of Imphal to USA Today.

"I ran out to our balcony where it was shaking so violently I was just waiting for it to come down," he said about being awakened by the quake. "Many screams in the distance."

"My son said he doesn't want to live in this house anymore." Swaggerty said.