Maharashtra: Eight low-intensity quakes hit Palghar within four hours

Eight low-intensity earthquakes

in the range of 2.2 to 3.6 magnitude were recorded in Palghar district of Maharashtra within four hours early on Friday, officials said.

The tremors were felt in Dahanu and Talasari tehsils of the district and no loss of life was reported so far, they said.

"An earthquake of 3.5 magnitude was recorded at 3.29 am, which was followed by 3.5 and 3.6 magnitude quakes at 3.57 am and 7.6 am respectively," chief of the District Disaster Control Cell Vivekanand Kadam said.

Dahanu Sub Divisional Officer Ashima Mittal said, "Besides these three earthquakes, which were above 3.0 magnitude, five others were experienced between 3 am and 7 am. Their magnitude was in the range of 2.2 to 2.8."

Kadam said the local tehsildars have been instructed to carry out inspection of the villages.

These two tehsils have been experiencing low-intensity earthquakes over the last few days. During the intervening night of Friday and Saturday last week, four such quakes had been recorded. One of them was of 4.0 magnitude, officials said.

Mittal said that in view of the series of tremors experience of late, big tents have been set up on open grounds in the villages of these two tehsils so that local residents can move in there if they feel unsafe in their houses.

Following the last week's tremors, walls of some houses in Dahanu and Talasari had collapsed, while several other houses had developed cracks.

According to Mittal, disaster coordination committees have been formed at the village level and the civil defence staff has been asked to remain prepared for assistance.

"Mock drills will be carried out in the villages to make people aware of the dos and don'ts," she said.

Meanwhile, the district authorities released an audio message, asking the villagers in Dahanu region to remain alert as they reside in "earthquake prone" area.

Palghar's Dahanu area has been experiencing such tremors since November 2018, with most of them centered around Dundalwadi village.