A high intensity earthquake hit Andaman and Nicobar islands early Tuesday, shaking many cities in southern and eastern India.
However, there were no reports of any casualty. The 7.8 magnitude quake on the Richter scale struck at 01:26 am about 265 km north of Port Blair, the Indian Meteorological Department said putting the tremor in the "great category".
Though the Pacific Tsunami Warning centre had issued a tsunami alert which was subsequently withdrawn, the Indian Tsunami Warning Centre did not issue any warning.
Tremors were felt in several places in Chennai, Vijayawada, several places in Orissa and in Kolkata.
In Chennai, residents of Anna Nagar, Mylapore, Besant Nagar and Nungambakkam areas felt the tremors and complaints of cracks in houses were also received from few places.
Several parts of Orissa, including Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, port town of Paradip, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Bhadrak and Balasore were shaken by the tremor.
Panic-struck people rushed out of their houses in many areas.
Mild tremors were also felt in Patamala Madhuranagar, Singhnagar, Pakayapuram and Vambay colony in Vijayawada.