An earthquake of magnitude 6 hits India, damaging some buildings

Residents said a 6-magnitude earthquake struck the northeastern Indian state of Assam on Wednesday, damaging some buildings.

State authorities stated that they were checking to see if there were any casualties as a result of the earthquake.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of 34 km and was centered near the town of Dikyaguli, 140 km north of Guwahati, the main city in Assam.

Earlier, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismic Center estimated that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sunwal said, "A strong earthquake struck Assam. I pray for the safety of everyone and ask everyone to be careful. We are receiving updates from all provinces."

Residents said that the walls of some homes and buildings had cracked.

People took to the streets, fearing new tremors.

"I have never seen such tremors in my life," said Guchman Decca, 20, who studies engineering.

Residents felt strong tremors repeatedly in several parts of northeastern India and neighboring Bhutan, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes, according to a Reuters witness.

An official at India's National Disaster Management Agency, who asked not to be named, said the agency was assessing reports on the extent of damage and losses after the earthquake.

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