Sunday, December 26 2004 13:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: One person was killed as an earthquake hit the metropolis and south Bengal districts this morning (Dec 26, 2004).

At Jatrapur-Bhatapukur village in Nadia district, 48-year old Manoranjan Biswas was about to step into a pond for a bath when waves appeared in the water. Biswas fell into the pond and died, a report from district headquarter Krishnagar said quoting official sources.

The tremor was reported at about 6:30 hrs (IST) from the districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Barddhaman, Nadia and East and West Midnapore besides the tourist town of Digha.

The met office at Kolkata confirmed the earthquake but could not provide any detail.

Villagers of all the affected districts witnessed the same in their local ponds. In some areas, women also performed puja to appease the gods, reports from the districts said.

In the Sundarbans, river water rose by as high as five feet but no casualty was reported.