Saturday, October 8 2005 16:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Hours after a massive earthquake, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, rocked North India, Government said electronic system to calculate the exact intensity of an earthquake would be put in place within a couple of weeks time.

"We are improving on the system that could give us the exact intensity of an earthquake within ten minutes of its occurrence and it would be put in place in a few weeks time," Union Minister for Science and Technology, Kapil Sibal, said here today.

The country, till date has the manual system to assess the intensity, which is why it takes time to announce the exact intensity and the probable epicentre, he said.

The epicentre of the quake was in west Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the met office said.

When asked why such announcements are made only after a high intensity earthquake hits the country, Sibal said, "The damage is already done. Exact measurements made at this point would only quantify the intensity of the earthquake."

The Minister said, "It would definitely help in relief and rescue operations. Efforts are on to plug in the gaps."