Balasore, July 25 : Panic has gripped Orissa''s Balasore District after fissures appeared on the ground leading to rumours of the possibility of an earthquake.

Residents of the area are now living in fear after they had glimpse of about a kilometer deep cracks on the ground.

Cracks have appeared on the walls of a number of houses, forcing people to evacuate them. The cracks have completely damaged a house while three other houses have developed cracks.

Authorities say that the geological department will soon investigate the seismic activity.

"The reason of depression is to be ascertained by the technical expert of geological department. We have already on the behalf of the district administration and the collector has taken up the matter with the geological department. They are coming to the affected region. They will ascertain the reason of such depression," said Sribatsa Jena, local administrator, Balasore.

People in the district are getting panicky with the cracks widening and increasing in length with each passing hour.

"Initially, we saw the crack of one inch then it became two feet. Our house also collapsed due to crack on the earth. Everyday, the crack is increasing. All the houses have been evacuated," said Ram Chandra Nayak, a resident.

In India more than half the land is vulnerable to earthquakes and the 7,516-km coastline is whipped by cyclones that pummel the eastern coast state of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. (ANI)