Cracks open up in field after magnitude 6.4 quake hits northeastern India

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit India this morning (April 28) causing severe damage to several properties across the northeastern state of Assam.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit India this morning (April 28) causing severe damage to several properties across the northeastern state of Assam.

Tremors were felt in Sonitpur district shortly after 7:25am local time as well as the neighbouring states of Meghalaya and West Bengal.

Footage shows cracks appearing in a farm field, where water then came up from the earth.

Resident Abigyan Goswami said: 'It was scary, people were running out of their homes afraid of dying.

I saw houses with roofs crack open.'

India's National Centre of Seismology (NCS) said six aftershocks of magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 4.7 were felt within two and half hours of the main earthquake.

The NCS said in a statement: 'The preliminary analysis shows that the events are located near to Kopili Fault closer to Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT).

The area is seismically very active falling in the highest Seismic Hazard zone V associated with collisional tectonics where Indian plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate.'