Mild tremors were experienced in several areas of north coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and some parts of Krishna district around 9.50 p.m. on Wednesday as an earthquake occurred in the Bay of Bengal with its epicentre around 200 nautical miles off the Vizag coast.
According to the information put out by INCOIS on its website, a moderate earthquake of 5.8 magnitude occurred 18.24 North and 87.95 East at a depth of 5 km in the Bay of Bengal at 9.51 p.m. There was no threat of a tsunami. Director of the Cyclone Warning Centre K. Ramachandra Rao said there was no cause for panic.
However, the tremors that occurred in two waves caused panic making residents run out of the buildings, especially high-rise apartments. People made frantic calls to newspaper offices, saying they had felt shaking of cots, computers and household goods.
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Those living in Simhachalam, Marripalem, Murali Nagar, Seethammadhara, MVP Colony and many other areas of Visakhapatnam said they had felt two tremors, which came in quick succession. Several people rushed to the Beach Road to see the sea surge.
“We were having our dinner, when my son Jagadish said that the chair was shaking,” said Dr. G. Hanumantha Rao of Sector-V in MVP Colony. Kota Prabhakara Rao of Railway Quarters at Thatichetlapalem said that he saw the dining table and chairs shake. “Dogs in our area were wailing,” he said.
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Srikakulam Staff Reporter writes: Residents sleeping on the floor and terraces felt the tremors. A resident of Visakha-A colony Lakshmanbabu told The Hindu that his entire family was shocked. “We were afraid that tremors would recur,” he added.
Srikakulam Collector Saurabh Gaur alerted the administration and asked the officials to be alert.