Earthquake of Magnitude 4.6 Strikes Indonesia's Northern Sumatra

Northern Sumatra: An earthquake of 4.6 Magnitude on the Richter scale rocked Indonesia's Northern Sumatra, on Sunday morning, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

The earthquake occurred at 8:28 AM (Indian time), with its epicenter located at latitude 5.57°N and longitude 95.62°E, at a depth of 18 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface.

So far, no immediate reports of casualties or major damages has been reported. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and further assessments are underway.

More updates will follow as additional details emerge. 

Myanmar Earthquake

Myanmar and Thailand were struck by devastating earthquakes, causing widespread destruction. Myanmar experienced a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday, leading to a humanitarian crisis. Rescue efforts are underway, with India launching an extensive relief operation, Operation Brahma. The catastrophic quake has claimed over 1,600 lives in Myanmar and 17 in Thailand.

Operation Brahma

India became the first nation to send rescue personnel to Myanmar in response to the disaster. Under Operation Brahma, an 80-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

An Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft, carrying the NDRF team and essential relief supplies, departed from Hindon Air Force Station and landed in Naypyitaw on Saturday. The team was welcomed by local officials, including Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur and Maung Maung Lynn, Ambassador-at-Large in Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Early this morning, the NDRF team moved to Mandalay, becoming the first international rescue unit to join relief operations. Myanmar’s airport remains partially non-functional due to the earthquake.

During a special press briefing on Operation Brahma, DIG NDRF Mohsen Shahedi emphasized that the 80-member team specializes in urban search and rescue operations. He stated that the next 24 to 48 hours are crucial for rescue efforts.

The deployment is happening in two phases—one flight has already reached Myanmar, while a second is set to depart from Hindon Air Base. Additionally, a reserve NDRF team is stationed in Kolkata, on standby for immediate deployment if needed.