According to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics of Vietnam, the province reported the first tremor today at around 12.07 am in Kon Plong District, and 14 others continued to happen until 10.07 am in the area. Three of the quakes measured over 3.0 on the Richter scale while others were smaller.
Earlier at 11.35 am on July 28, a 5.0 magnitude earthquake hit Kon Plong District with its epicentre at a depth of approximately 8.5km, which was the most powerful quake that had ever been recorded in the area over the past decades. Local people had seen objects fall and break.
Many neighbouring localities such as Hue, Danang, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, and Phu Yen felt intense shaking for a little while. Mild shaking was even recorded in HCM City.
Another 20 other smaller quakes were recorded afterwards the same day.
The centre warned that Kon Tum may see more earthquakes in the coming days but they are unlikely to be larger than 5.5 degrees, adding detailed studies are needed to evaluate earthquakes in the area.
Statistics unveiled by the Institute of Geophysics show there were only more than 30 earthquakes jolting Kon Tum province between 1903 to 2020, with the largest measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale.
But hundreds of earthquakes have occurred in Kon Tum from April 2021 until now, including a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the locality on August 22, 2022.
Over the past days, prolonged heavy rain in the Central Highlands region has caused hydroelectric reservoirs to fill quickly, triggering earthquakes, the centre said.
The Institute of Geophysics has deployed 11 monitoring stations in Kon Tum to conduct in-depth research and evaluate earthquakes in the locality.
