Mild tremors were felt in some parts of Krishna and Guntur districts, including some areas in the Amaravati capital region in the State, in the small hours of Sunday.
According to sources, tremors were reported in Jaggaiahpet and Nandigama areas in Krishna district around 2.37 a.m. People panicked in Guntur district, as tremors were felt in Thullur, Bellamkonda, Tadikonda, Venkatayapalem and other mandals.
A low-intensity earthquake was reported in Khammam, Nalgonda and Suryapet, the adjoining districts in Telangana for about three seconds around 2.37 a.m. at a depth of 10 km. The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded as 4.8 on the Richter scale. However, no casualties were reported.
Krishna Collector A. Md. Imtiaz said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), AP State Disaster Response Force and Fire Services, Revenue and other wings have been alerted on the tremors.
“The district administration and the heads of the departments have been alerted on the possibility of tremors occurring again. However, there is no need for panic. We are in touch with the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD),” Mr. Imtiaz told The Hindu.
No property loss was reported as the low intensity tremors lasted only a few seconds.
Hot topic
Meanwhile, villagers were seen discussing the tremors at dawn in Jaggaiahpet and in the capital region. It has become a topic of discussion at hotels, saloons and other public places on Sunday, as the news spread.
‘Need to study reasons’
“Guntur, Krishna and the neighbouring districts are not prone to earthquakes. But officials confirmed that mild tremors experienced around 2 a.m. were recorded by seismic sensors. Officials should assess the property loss, if any, due to the tremors. We have to study the reasons for the mild earthquake,” an official of the Disaster Management said.
People staying on the river bunds, high-rise structures, particularly the inmates of old-age and children’s homes and patients in hospitals, were asked to be cautious for the next few days, the officials said.
