Telangana earthquake causes panic in Nagpur: strong tremors felt across city

Strong tremors were felt in Nagpur following a 5.3 magnitude earthquake in Mulugu, Telangana. Citizens reported shaking the structures, but the Nagpur district collector assured that there was no major damage.

NAGPUR: Strong tremors were felt early Wednesday morning in Nagpur following an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale in Mulugu, Telangana, about 300 km from here, at 7:27 a.m. informed the National Center of Seismology. Nagpur is classified as a safe zone under seismic zone II.
Nagpur district collector Vipin Itankar told TOI that there was no need to panic and nothing serious had been reported from the district. “We are monitoring the situation,” he said.
Citizens from different corners felt the tremors and noticed objects and structures shaking nearby after the earthquake in the neighboring state. Panicked villagers from nearby rural areas came out of their homes after noticing the aftershocks. Social media was abuzz with the news of the earthquake and sparked a lot of curiosity.
“I felt something shaking in the apartment and throughout the building,” said a government doctor from Jaripatka. Residents of Civil Lines, Mankapur, Jafar Nagar, as well as Kamptee, also posted on social media groups about their experience of the tremors.
THE Geological Survey of India (GSI), Central Region, Nagpur, conducted a comprehensive preliminary survey of Nagpur district in June 2024 following a series of low intensity earthquakes in May. The earthquakes measured less than 3 on the Richter scale in Nagpur, which is classified as a safe zone under seismic zone II.
No official Richter scale recording was available for the morning event in Nagpur as the epicenter was Mulugu, officials said. The last time the region was rocked by an earthquake was in October, when a 2.6 magnitude seismic event was reported from Seoni, about 120 km from Nagpur. Earlier, Melghat in Amravati district was rocked by a 4.2 magnitude earthquake on September 30.
In recent years, swarm activity has increased in the region and has affected several places in and around Nagpur. A study by the Geological Survey of India is underway to determine the causes of increased seismicity in the region.
As part of preparation for such scenarios, all civil structures must be made earthquake proof, which can be achieved by following the guidelines prescribed by the Ministry of Interior (BIS Code: IS 1893 (Part 1): 2002) for construction. of future civil structures in these areas,” the GSI said in its report to the Nagpur district administration recently.