Residents of Chennai’s Royapettah experience mild tremors

However, both the India Meteorological Department and the National Center for Seismology, New Delhi, have said their observatories did not record any seismic event

An aerial view of Royapettah and Triplicane in Chennai. File. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Complaints of mild tremors in some areas of Royapettah and Anna Salai surfaced on social media platforms on Wednesday morning.

However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Center for Seismology, New Delhi, have clarified that no tremors were reported on their networks.

Residents of some areas in Royapettah and along Anna Salai noted that they felt a mild shock in their localites. However, there was no information of any such tremors from other areas of Chennai.

The Meteorological Department maintains two seismological observatories in Meenambakkam and Kodaikanal. Sources said both the observatories did not report of any seismic activity on Wednesday.

Ravikant Singh, Scientist-F, National Center for Seismology, said the national network did not record any seismic activity near Chennai. Tirupati, which is the closest station to the city, also did not report of tremor signals. A minimum of three to five stations would need to have felt tremors for signals to be recorded. A mild tremor in Sri Lanka would not have an impact in Chennai, he said.

‘Civil work may have caused mild shock’

Sources said isolated pockets may have felt such shocks due to various reasons, including ongoing civil work in the vicinity.

While concerns were raised about the tremors being caused by Metrorail work, Chennai Metro Rail Limited has clarified that its work has not been taken up currently on Anna Salai.

Press Statement
In connection with the tremors felt in
Chennai, Anna Salai, it has been confirmed
that the tremors are not caused by the
Chennai Metro Rail Project Works, as no
such activity is currently taking place in the
area.

— Chennai Metro Rail (@cmrlofficial) February 22, 2023