Nurses in Assam shield newborns as 5.8-magnitude quake jolts northeast; watch video

NEW DELHI: A video shows nurses at a hospital in Assam’s Nagaon acting heroically during 5.8-magnitude earthquake, ensuring the safety of newborns as tremors shook the Northeast and parts of West Bengal on Sunday.Their quick response and presence of mind have drawn praise for protecting the infants in a moment of panic.

Officials said the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck at 4.41 pm on Sunday had its epicentre in Assam’s Udalguri district, at a depth of 5 km. Tremors were felt across several districts, including Udalguri, Sonitpur, Tamulpur, and Nalbari, as well as in Guwahati, where panic-stricken residents rushed out of their homes. The quake was also felt in western parts of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. In Itanagar, people ran out of houses and shops in fear. According to Arunachal Pradesh disaster management secretary Dani Sulu, no reports of structural damage or casualties have been received so far.Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, said, "The epicentre (of the earthquake) was near Udalguri. So far, there has been no report of any major damage or loss of life. We are actively monitoring the situation."The northeastern states fall in the high seismic zone, and earthquakes frequently hit the region.(With inputs from agency)