At 5:59 in the morning on Tuesday, a major earthquake was felt of about 5.2 on the Richter scale that struck Kamjong district in Manipur's eastern hilly terrain, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The precise coordinates logged by NCS: Latitude 24.703°N, Longitude 94.415°E, at a depth of 62 kilometres. This was not a shallow surface tremor. This was a moderately deep seismic event, originating beneath the earth's upper crust.
The NCS posted on X within minutes of recording the event: "EQ of M: 5.2, On: 21/04/2026 05:59:33 IST, Lat: 24.703 N, Long: 94.415 E, Depth: 62 Km, Location: Kamjong, Manipur."
Tremors were felt not only in Kamjong but across Manipur, parts of Assam, and even in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Residents of Guwahati reported feeling the shaking. In Imphal, people stepped out of homes briefly. No structural collapses or casualties had been reported as of Tuesday morning.
Kamjong: The Epicentre
Kamjong is a relatively new district in Manipur's eastern hills, carved out in 2016 during the state's major administrative reorganisation. It shares a border with Myanmar and is one of the more remote, sparsely populated areas of the state. It sits at a considerable altitude, with hilly, sometimes fragile terrain.
The area does not have dense urban infrastructure like Imphal or Churachandpur. But it has something else — a history of seismic events. Kamjong and its surrounding belt have appeared in NCS reports multiple times in recent years as an epicentral zone. This is not coincidence. It is geology.
Why Northeast India Keeps Shaking
The entire northeastern region of India — Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram — sits atop one of the most seismically active zones in the world. India's tectonic plate is still pushing northward into the Eurasian plate at a rate of approximately 5 centimetres per year. The collision that built the Himalayas is still very much in progress.
The northeastern region sits along what geologists call the Himalayan Seismic Belt, and specifically near the Burmese Arc — a subduction zone where the Indian plate dips beneath the Burmese microplate. The result is chronic, low-to-moderate seismic activity, punctuated periodically by severe events.
Manipur itself falls largely within Seismic Zone V — the highest risk designation in India's official seismic zoning map. This means it carries the potential for earthquakes of magnitude 8 and above. The 1950 Assam earthquake, one of the largest ever recorded in the world, at magnitude 8.6, struck not far from this region.
To put today's 5.2 in perspective: this was significant enough to feel, cause panic, and disrupt early morning routines. But it was not a catastrophic event. The 62-kilometre depth is important — deeper earthquakes release energy over a wider area but with reduced surface intensity compared to shallow ones.
Ground Reality from Imphal
Reports from Imphal indicate that residents experienced brief but clear shaking. One resident in the city wrote on a local news forum: "Felt a slight tremor here in Imphal early morning. It was brief. More worried about our brothers and sisters in the hills. Relief teams should be on standby."
That instinct is right. Relief teams maintaining standby status after seismic events in Manipur is not paranoia — it is protocol. The state is already dealing with a sensitive security situation in several districts. Adding a natural disaster scenario to that mix demands preparedness.
As of the time of writing, the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) had not been formally deployed, suggesting no structural damage requiring their intervention. But local administration in Kamjong would be conducting preliminary checks.
What a 62-Km Deep Event Means
Seismologists classify earthquakes by depth: shallow (less than 70 km), intermediate (70–300 km), and deep (above 300 km). Today's earthquake, at 62 km, sits near the boundary between shallow and intermediate. This depth range is actually common in the Burmese Arc convergence zone.
The significance of the 62-km depth is twofold. On one hand, the energy doesn't concentrate at a single surface point, meaning localised destruction is reduced. On the other hand, the shaking area is wider — which is why tremors were felt as far as Bangladesh.
Context: The Day After Japan Hit a 7.5
This earthquake comes a day after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Japan on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings and bullet-train suspensions. An 80-centimetre tsunami was recorded at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture. That event, while thousands of kilometres away, is a reminder of how active the broader Indo-Pacific seismic belt currently is.
India's NCS and the broader Disaster Management Authority would be watching any unusual clustering of seismic activity with care. One moderate earthquake does not make a sequence. But two major seismic events in the region within 24 hours is always worth monitoring.
Also Read: 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Japan’s Northeast Coast, Tsunami Warnings Issued
What Should People in Manipur Know
Earthquake preparedness in India remains patchy. In an urban setting like Imphal, the average building is not seismically designed. Older construction in rural hill areas like Kamjong is even more vulnerable. In the event of a stronger earthquake — anything above 6.0 — the consequences for such areas could be severe.
The standard advisory stands: during a tremor, do not run outside. Move away from windows. Get under a sturdy desk or table, or stand in a doorframe. After the shaking, check for gas leaks, do not use elevators, and stay away from damaged structures.