From the hills to the plains, Bengal shook again due to an earthquake! On Sunday at 11:06 PM, tremors were first felt in the two northern districts of Cooch Behar and Siliguri. Later, residents of several other districts experienced mild shaking. The list includes Kolkata as well. Everyone rushed out of their homes onto the streets in panic.

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M5.6 earthquake

15 km WNW of Punākha, Bhutan
Jun 7 23:36 local time (17m ago)
Depth 10 km

According to the National Center for Seismology, the magnitude of the tremor on the Richter scale was 5.6. Its epicenter was in Punakha, Bhutan, 10 kilometers deep underground. Initially, residents of two northern districts of Bengal felt the tremors, and naturally, they left their homes and came out onto the streets. Residents of Malda, Jalpaiguri, South Dinajpur, Darjeeling, and also Kolkata experienced mild shaking. However, no reports of damage have been received so far. Sources indicate that the impact was felt not only in India but also in Nepal and Bangladesh. Residents there also felt the tremors.

Notably, confirming the weather office’s forecast, it has been raining in almost all districts of Bengal today, Sunday. The clock has crossed the 11 o’clock mark. Therefore, most people were at home during the earthquake. Even though many did not feel it, they understood the situation when alerts arrived on their phones. How terrifying the consequences of an earthquake can be has been seen multiple times in recent days. Naturally, people are in great panic.

Cooch Behar

Cooch Behar, located in West Bengal, India, is a historic city known for its royal heritage as the capital of the princely state of Cooch Behar under the Koch dynasty. Its most iconic landmark, the Cooch Behar Palace, built in 1887 in a Renaissance style, reflects the region’s rich cultural fusion and the influence of the British Raj. The area also features ancient temples and the Madan Mohan Temple, highlighting its deep-rooted religious and architectural traditions.

Siliguri

Siliguri is a major city in the Indian state of West Bengal, serving as a key commercial and transit hub in the northeastern region. Its modern development began in the 19th century under British rule, when it became a crucial railway junction connecting the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region with the rest of India. Today, Siliguri is known for its strategic location near the borders of Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, and as a gateway to popular tourist destinations like Darjeeling and Sikkim.

Kolkata

Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is a major cultural and commercial hub in eastern India, founded in 1690 by the British East India Company. It served as the capital of British India from 1772 to 1911 and was a center of the Indian independence movement. Today, the city is renowned for its colonial architecture, vibrant arts scene, and rich intellectual heritage.

Punakha

Punakha is a historic town in Bhutan, best known for the Punakha Dzong, a magnificent fortress-monastery built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It served as the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and remains the winter residence of the central monastic body. Situated at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, the site is celebrated for its stunning architecture and cultural significance.

Malda

Malda is a historic city in the Indian state of West Bengal, once serving as the capital of the ancient Gour and Pandua kingdoms during the medieval period. It is renowned for the ruins of Gour, including the magnificent Bara Sona Mosque and the Firoz Minar, which reflect the region’s rich Islamic architectural heritage. Today, Malda is also famous for its production of mangoes and silk, blending its cultural past with agricultural significance.

Jalpaiguri

Jalpaiguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas. Historically, it was part of the Kamarupa Kingdom and later the Bhutanese kingdom before being annexed by the British East India Company in the 19th century. Today, it serves as a major commercial and transportation hub, known for its tea gardens, forests, and proximity to the Dooars region and the famous Gorumara National Park.

South Dinajpur

South Dinajpur, a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, was historically part of the larger Dinajpur region, which was divided after India’s partition in 1947. The area is known for its rich cultural heritage, including ancient temples and archaeological sites like the Bangarh ruins, which date back to the Gupta period. Today, it is primarily an agricultural region, noted for its production of rice, jute, and sugarcane.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling, located in the Indian state of West Bengal, is a renowned hill station and tea-growing region in the Himalayas. Its history as a British colonial summer retreat began in the early 19th century, when the area was developed to provide a cool escape from the heat of the plains. Today, it is famous for its scenic beauty, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and its world-class tea industry.