Post by : Meena Ariff

An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit Gujarat’s Kutch district early on Friday morning, causing mild shaking in many areas and briefly worrying residents. Officials said the quake happened at around 4:30 am, when most people were asleep.

The earthquake started 10 kilometres below the ground, according to information from the National Centre for Seismology. The epicentre was in the Kachchh area of Gujarat, at 23.65 degrees north latitude and 70.23 degrees east longitude. Because the quake was shallow, people felt the tremors in several parts of the district, but the shaking was not strong.

People in towns and villages across Kutch said they felt doors, windows, and household items shake for a short time. Some residents stepped outside their homes to stay safe, while others woke up because of the tremors. Although there was brief fear, the situation soon became normal again.

Local officials and disaster management teams checked the area soon after the quake. They confirmed that there were no reports of deaths, injuries, or damage to buildings or roads. Emergency services were kept ready as a safety step, but no rescue work was needed.

Kutch is an area where earthquakes happen more often and has a history of strong quakes, including the major Bhuj earthquake in 2001. Because of this, even small or medium earthquakes are closely watched by officials and experts. Scientists say such earthquakes happen from time to time due to movement inside the earth.

In April this year, another earthquake of magnitude 4.3 hit Kutch late at night. That quake came from a deeper level of about 20 kilometres. Like the recent one, it did not cause any serious damage or injuries.

Officials again asked people not to panic during earthquakes and to follow safety rules, such as staying away from weak buildings and not using lifts during shaking. They also stressed the need to stay prepared in areas where earthquakes are common and to trust only official information.

Experts are still monitoring the situation and keeping a close watch on earthquake activity in the region.

#Global News