Gangtok, June 8: A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Bhutan late Sunday night, causing tremors across Sikkim and several districts of north Bengal. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake occurred at 11:06 pm near Punakha, while the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) confirmed its magnitude at 5.6 and depth of 10 kilometres.

The tremors, which lasted only a few seconds, prompted residents in Gangtok and other parts of Sikkim to rush outdoors as a precaution. People described the shaking as brief but noticeable, with many leaving their homes and buildings temporarily. Similar reports came from Siliguri, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in north Bengal, where residents also stepped outside after sensing the tremors.

Authorities in both Sikkim and West Bengal confirmed that no injuries or property damage had been reported. Officials from the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority stated that the situation was being closely monitored, though no adverse incidents had occurred. Local administrations in north Bengal echoed the same, assuring residents that disaster management teams were on alert.

Bhutanese authorities had not immediately reported any significant damage following the quake. Experts noted that the shallow depth of 10 km likely made the tremors more widely felt across the region. Disaster management officials in the affected areas said they are continuing to monitor developments and assess the possibility of aftershocks.

Despite the late-night scare, no major disruptions or emergencies were reported in Sikkim or north Bengal, and normalcy was quickly restored.