Panic griped the sea resorts of Puri and Digha as beds shook, water spilled onto tables and tourists rushed out to the streets from their hotels as a quake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck Wednesday night.
Subrata Nath, a tourist at Digha in East Midnapore district, said power supply was disrupted for a few seconds as the tremors were felt around 9.53 p.m.
"The beds suddenly started shaking. The power went off for a few seconds. All tourists poured out to the streets in panic. I saw police running. After a few minutes, we understood it was a quake.
"But people are tense as they want an assurance from the government that there are no fears of a tsunami," Nath said.
Keshto Haldar, a tourist in Orissa's famed sea town of Puri, said he was watching the Indian Premier League in his second floor hotel room when the bed started rocking.
"The TV set was also shaking. We rushed out of the hotel. Guests from all surrounding hotels crowded the streets. Some people were crying 'it's an earthquake'".
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"I saw people rushing to the mainland from the beach. Shopkeepers were also running helter skelter," he said.
"I saw a lot of people outdoors around me. The sea water level also seems to have risen a bit," Haldar added.