A mild tremor was felt in parts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts around 6.50 pm on Friday, triggering alarm among citizens and sending the administration into overdrive.
There were no reports of casualties or damage to property.
The seismology unit at the IMD pegged the tremor at 3.4 on the Richter scale. The epicentre, according to preliminary calculations, was off the coast of Attingal, north west of the city.
Frantic residents in some parts of the city said they had experienced the tremor. Emergency services were flooded with calls following the incident.
A high level meeting convened by Revenue Minister K.P.Rajendran to assess the situation issued directions to officials to remain vigilant. Mr.Rajendran said the tremor was felt in most parts of Thiruvananthapuram district and beyond upto Chathannoor in Kollam.
“Experts at the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) have confirmed that it was a mild tremor. There is no cause for alarm. The government machinery is geared up to meet any eventuality”, he said.
Director, CESS, Dr.M.Baba said there was no chance of an aftershock for a tremor of this magnitude. “Several such tremors occur every year”, he added.
