Himalays Feel Indian Earthquake

 

Buddhist monks in India's eastern state of Bihar perform special prayers for victims of the massive earthquake which struck northeast India on Sunday night.  

            

The epicenter of the 6.9 magnitude quake was in the sparsely populated Himalayan state of Sikkim.  

            

Residential structures and a Buddhist monastery in the state capital bore the brunt of the damage. 

             

[Thumbe, Local Resident]:          

"Seventy percent damage has been sustained by the monastery. Main parts of the building like the foundations and the pillars have been badly damaged."  

            

The earthquake was felt as far away as New Delhi, and there have been numerous fatalities across the country: at least 35 people killed in Sikkim, at least seven in Bihar, and at least six in West Bengal.

              

The tremors spread around the Himalayan region, affecting Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan, as well as Bangladesh.   

          

Buildings were damaged and at least eight people killed in Nepal.  

            

Chinese state media also reported damage in the autonomous region of Tibet, with at least seven killed and dozens injured. 

             

Landslides and heavy rains have hampered the rescue effort across the region, and the death toll is expected to rise.