Guwahati: Two earthquakes of magnitude 3.6 and 2.8 hit Assam’s Jorhat and Darrang districts early on Saturday, creating panic among the people.
The earthquake with magnitude 3.6 occurred around 50 kilometres beneath the earth’s surface at 9.03 am while the earthquake with magnitude 2.8 occurred nine kilometres beneath the earth’s surface at 11.02 am.
However, there have been no reports of any casualty or damage to property due to the tremors till the filing of the report.
Northeast India has been experiencing frequent earthquakes since the beginning of this year. Over 32 mild earthquakes have been reported so far in the region between 1 January 2023 and 18 March 2023.
The frequent earthquakes that have rocked the region in less than three months have made many fear for the worst to come.
The first tremor to strike the region was on 1 January 2023. The 3.2 magnitude earthquake hit the hill district of Assam’s West Karbi Anglong.
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The next tremor to jolt the region was when a 3.3 magnitude tremor hit Mizoram’s Saitual district on 7 January.
After this, the first month of the year was rocked by as many as seven more earthquakes, with an intensity ranging between 2.9 and 4.8 on the Richter scale.
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Manipur was the worst-hit state in the region with four tremors striking the state, followed by Assam and Mizoram, with two earthquakes each respectively.
The second month of 2023, February, was hit by altogether 16 earthquakes, with an intensity ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 on the Richter scale.
In February, Assam experienced the maximum number of earthquakes (5), followed by Meghalaya and Manipur four each, Arunachal Pradesh two and Mizoram one.
At least four earthquakes have hit the region so far in the month of March 2023. The region experienced the latest earthquake on 14 March when a 2.7 mild-intensity earthquake hit Manipur’s Tamenglong district.
As per the seismic zoning map of the country, the total area is classified into four seismic zones. Zone V is seismically the most active region, while zone II is the least. Approximately, 11 per cent area of the country falls in zone V, 18 per cent in zone IV, 30 per cent in zone III and the remaining in zone II.
According to seismologists, the Northeastern region experiences frequent earthquakes as it falls in the seismic V zone.
Experts have asked people not to believe in rumours but to be prepared for any possible eventuality.
The region has experienced several devastating earthquakes in the past, which also changed the topography of the region.
The earthquake is notable as being the largest recorded quake caused by continental collision rather than subduction, and is also notable for the loud noises produced by the quake and reported throughout the region.