A major earthquake rocked the Indian subcontinent on Friday, killing and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed in the western state of Gujarat, which bore the brunt of the quake. Tremors were felt as far away as Bangladesh, Nepal and the town of Pondicherry in south-east India where people fled in panic from a Republic Day parade.
Seismologists say further tremors are likely.
The quake, which hit as India was marking the 51st anniversary of its transition to a republic, had a depth of 23.6 kilometers, according to the U.S. National Earthquake Information Center. The epicenter was the Rann of Kutch, a desert plateau in western India near the border with Pakistan. The shaking lasted from 20 seconds up to one minute in some places. Most victims are from the town of Bhuj, in the state of Gujarat, and the nearby city of Ahmedabad. The death figure in the earthquake could be 1,000 or more, officials fear.