29 OCT TREMORS IN NORTH SIKKIM CLAIM TWO LIVES IN DZONGU

The Last Khnagchendzonga Bongthing among the casualties
GANGTOK, 30 Oct: A string of tremors early in the morning of 29 October rattled North Sikkim and its residents and claimed two lives bringing back apprehensions and spreading panic among the people. In fact, there was a series of about 12 minor tremors starting 5:30 a.m. and continuing up to 10 a.m. which brought residents together and outdoors especially in Lachen and at Lingthem-Lingdem [Upper Dzogu] where two people died.
The two persons were killed in two different incidents yesterday in Dzongu, an area which has taken most of the brunt of the major earthquake which shook the state on 18 September. Samdup Taso, an 85 year old resident of Nung under Tingvong GPU, died when he was struck by a heart attack as he was attempting to run out of his house during one of the tremors which struck at around 5:30 a.m. It is reported that he was in his kitchen making tea when the tremor struck. Medical reports confirmed that his death was due to a heart attack brought on by the exertion and panic as he was trying to escape and in the process slipped from the stairs of his home.
Samdup Taso is the last in the line of the famed Khangchendzonga Bongthings of Upper Dzongu [turn to pg 2 for his story]. His funeral is scheduled for Monday morning at Nung, it is informed. Once a much revered and feared Bongthing feted by even the Chogyals, the past three decades have been unkind to the Khangchendzonga Bongthing and the rituals he performed at Nung to propitiate Sikkim’s Guardian Deity.
The other deceased has been identified as Sonam Wangyal Lepcha, 27, and a resident of
Lingdem, who died on the spot at Lingdim Bridge which he was crossing when the earthquake struck. It is reported that Sonam was crossing the Lingchem bridge, a suspension bridge, when at 8:30 am another tremor struck the area. It is reported that the tremor caused him to run across the bridge when he fell off into the kholcha below and succumbed.
Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling visited the affected area today by road and met with the affected families. He announced Rs.1 lakh each to the families as ex-gratia.    
The string of tremors disrupted normal life in Dzongu with people of Lingthem-Lingdem GPU who were on their way to the CM’s public meet at Passingdang breaking their journey and grouping together for quite a while before resuming.
At Lachen too, strong tremors were felt which brought all the people together at one spot where they stayed together till they were convinced that there would be no more tremors. There have been no reports of damages.
The tremors, which claimed the life of two persons in Dzongu, were recorded at 3.5 magnitude on the Richter scale. The Gangtok Meteorological centre has recorded a slight intensity earthquake at 6:13 AM of 29 October. The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded at Latitude 27.4°N Longitude 88.4°E, placing it inside Dzongu towards its borders with West Sikkim.
Another mild tremor shook the State this evening which was particularly felt in North Sikkim. The tremor has been recorded to be of magnitude 3.6 on the Richter Scale which is a slight intensity earth-shake. Though this is a minor tremor, reports coming in from north Sikkim suggest that it was felt quite strongly there. The tremor occurred at 7 pm, 30 October. The epicenter has been recorded to be at Darrang district in Assam, Lat. 26.9°N Long. 92.3°E.