The Hindu : National : Quake brings back century-old memories

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Sunday, Oct 09, 2005

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National

Quake brings back century-old memories

Kanwar Yogendra

Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, was preparing for a visit by L.K. Advani

PALAMPUR-KANGRA (HIMACHAL PRADESH): The small town of Palampur, nestled in the lower hills of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, which was preparing for a visit of BJP president L.K. Advani on Sunday was rocked on Saturday morning and diverted the attention of the residents here. People ran out of their houses in panic at 9.25 a.m. after an earthquake of high intensity measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale shook the entire hill State.

Several aftershocks were reported from many districts of the State but no loss of life was reported from anywhere. Walls of several houses and temples in Kangra and Una districts developed cracks, according to the reports. "The wall of a high school collapsed near my house in Hamirpur when I was setting out for the rally preparations to Palampur," said Mr. Ajay Sharma, the media incharge of the state unit of the BJP.

Kangra district goes into panic whenever there is a hint of tremors as the place had suffered huge human loss in 1905 when it was hit by a devastating earthquake, say local residents.

A report from the district on Saturday said many shops in Millwa village of Indora in the district developed cracks after the quake, while a house collapsed in Sanora village causing a loss of Rs 2 lakhs.

The gate of Gopal Mandir in Indora and a single room in the Botti area of the district collapsed.

The quake breached several roads in Chamba district. The Chamba-Langhra road was damaged at Kakeera, 60 km from Chamba.

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