Multiple tremors jolt parts of Rajkot district in Gujarat, trigger panic; no damage reported

At least 12 tremors of magnitude ranging from 2.6 to 3.8 jolted Gujarat's Saurashtra region between Thursday night and Friday afternoon, triggering panic among residents of three talukas in Rajkot district, with many of them seeking refuge in open fields as a precautionary measure.

Rajkot Collector Om Prakash, however, said 21 tremors have been recorded in Upleta, Dhoraji and Jetpur talukas in the district, with their magnitudes ranging from 1.4 to 3.8.No loss of life or damage has been reported so far, officials said.

The first tremor, which was of 3.3 magnitude, was recorded at 8.43 pm Thursday, with its epicentre near Upleta town, an official said.Gandhinagar-based Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) recorded 12 tremors of 2.6 to 3.8 magnitudes with their epicentres located 27 to 30 km east-northeast of Upleta, he said.

Due to the 'earthquake swarm' (series of tremors or small earthquakes), people in Upleta, Dhoraji and Jetpur talukas are in the grip of fear.

Locals said they rushed out of their houses in panic after the first tremor, and added that the ground continued to shake for several more times till Friday afternoon.

Several of them even fled their homes and sought refuge in open fields as a precautionary measure.

There has been no report of loss of life or property due to the "earthquake swarm", collector Prakash said, adding that the administration has identified rickety buildings in the affected talukas and appealed to the people to shift to safer places.

"We have communicated to the teachers in such schools, and talathis and sarpanchs after identifying old buildings. A day-long holiday has been declared in all the anganwadis and schools housed in old buildings," he said.

According to experts, such tremors are called swarm type of activity caused after water seepage into pre-existing fractures, causing pore pressure and generating strain which is released in the form of an earthquake.

Swarms are generally of low magnitude and hence damages are generally not found in such activities, they said.