Magnitude-5.1 Earthquake Rocks Central Assam - Two Injured, Local Damage

Early on Monday morning a moderate earthquake centered near Morigaon district rattled central Assam, waking residents and prompting rapid damage checks by district disaster authorities. The National Centre for Seismology recorded the tremor at 04:17:40 a.m. IST on January 5, 2026, placing the epicentre near Morigaon on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra at latitude 26.37°N and longitude 92.29°E, with a magnitude of 5.1 and a depth of about 50 kilometres. Those parameters are being treated as the primary Indian reference while international readings show a different solution.

The United States Geological Survey, as cited by regional outlets, offered an alternative location and size, reporting a magnitude of 5.4 at about 04:47 local time with a much shallower depth near 10 kilometres and an epicentre near Dhing, roughly 76 kilometres from Guwahati. The discrepancy in magnitude, depth and precise epicentre reflects usual variations between national and international seismic analyses; seismologists expect agencies to refine parameters as more data arrive.

Local hospitals and disaster officials in Morigaon later reported two injured patients admitted to Morigaon Civil Hospital. One, identified as Niraj Kumar of Morigaon town, sustained a head injury and was described as stable. The other, Joimati Deori, 55, of Na-Dalbori village, suffered severe head wounds while rushing out of her house and required about 10 stitches. Initial bulletins from several outlets had indicated no immediate reports of injury or damage, and authorities continued to reconcile those early assessments with subsequent local reports.

Damage so far appears limited and localized. District disaster management officials recorded the collapse of a residential wall in Samaguri in neighboring Nagaon district, but no injuries were associated with that incident. Teams from district administrations and the state disaster management authority were mobilised to gather further information and to inspect public infrastructure, houses and schools for signs of structural stress.

The quake was widely felt across central, eastern and southern districts of Assam, including Kamrup Metropolitan, Nagaon, East Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Hojai, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara. Reports from neighbouring Bangladesh noted strong tremors in Sylhet and surrounding districts; Bangladeshi authorities reported no immediate casualties or structural damage in their initial checks.

Assam lies within a seismically active region and has experienced several moderate earthquakes in recent months, prompting ongoing attention to preparedness and building resilience. Officials said early-morning reactions largely involved residents stepping out of homes and checking on family members. Morigaon Civil Hospital received the two injured patients and district teams continued to compile damage reports and casualty tallies.

As agencies refine their analyses, the National Centre for Seismology bulletin remains the official reference for India, while the USGS alternative solution is recorded for completeness. State and district disaster management authorities advised residents to remain alert for aftershocks and to report structural damage to local officials as assessments proceed.