'Earthquake-like' event triggers panic in Odisha village

Nayagarh: Residents of Padmabati village under Fatehgarh police limits of Nayagarh district in Odisha witnessed a bizarre event on Tuesday afternoon.

According to sources, villagers heard a loud explosion near Rasabihari temple in the area this afternoon while some children were playing. Fearing that an earthquake has hit the area, locals scurried out of their homes into the open and witnessed that an area adjoining the temple had developed a huge crack and a portion of a nearby road had caved in.

As per sources, a crack extending nearly 50-feet developed across the main road passing through the area. Moreover, several houses near the spot had also developed cracks following the event, informed sources.

"At around 2 PM in the afternoon a sound akin to a bomb explosion was heard and we immediately ran out of our homes. We thought it was an earthquake," a local said.

Official confirmation on the nature and reason behind the incident is yet to be received.