Quake briefly disrupts Congress CMs' conclave

Deliberations at the Congress chief ministers conclave being attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi were disrupted briefly today when an earthquake with its epicentre in Pakistan shook large parts of North India this morning.

The tremors were felt at about 9.22 am, minutes after the prime minister concluded his half an hour address to the meet.

The prime minister, Gandhi, 15 chief ministers, several Union ministers and senior party leaders were advised to move out of the venue to the lawns in Punjab Bhawan, Congress sources said, adding that the deliberations, which entered the second day today, resumed when the tremors stopped after about three minutes.

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Home Minister Shivraj Patil immediately contacted his ministry officials to ascertain the details.

In the adjoining Haryana Niwas, where the media centre has been set up, a large number of journalists and officials rushed out in panic. Fans and chandeliers shook violently, prompting the media persons and officials to rush down the stairs into open space.