At noon on July 29, Kon Tum province suffered 18 more earthquakes.

The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center of the Institute of Geophysics (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) informed that on July 28, the Institute of Geophysics continuously issued 21 earthquake bulletins in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province.

On the afternoon of July 29, Kon Tum province was hit by 18 more earthquakes. Thus, in just 2 days, there have been 39 earthquakes in this area.

Specifically, the latest earthquake with a magnitude of 3.7 occurred in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province, recorded at 10:07:20 on July 29, at the coordinates 14.881 degrees North latitude - 108.215 degrees East longitude. The focal depth is about 8.1 km, the natural disaster risk level is 0.

Previously, at noon on July 28, a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred in Kon Tum, causing strong tremors in many provinces and cities in the Central and Central Highlands regions.

This is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in this area. The damage caused by the earthquake is not yet known.

Explaining the consecutive earthquakes that have occurred in this area over the past two days, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Institute of Geophysics, said that normally, areas where a strong earthquake occurs will have smaller earthquakes following it.

For example, due to the impact of the magnitude 5 earthquake at noon on July 28, from noon on July 28 to noon on July 29, there were 25 more earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 3.7.

Data from the Institute of Geophysics shows that from 1903 to 2020, there were only more than 30 earthquakes in Kon Tum province, the largest of which was 3.9 magnitude.

However, from April 2021 to now, hundreds of earthquakes have occurred in Kon Tum, including earthquakes that caused widespread tremors. The largest was the earthquake that occurred at noon on July 28, 2024 with a magnitude of 5.0, before that on August 23, 2022, there was an earthquake of magnitude 4.7.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh added that an earthquake of magnitude 5-6 is a medium-sized earthquake, which can cause moderate to severe damage to poorly designed structures, and no damage to mild damage to well-designed structures.

According to preliminary studies, earthquakes in Kon Tum are forecast to continue in the coming time, but are unlikely to be greater than 5.5 magnitude. Local authorities and functional agencies need to conduct damage assessments, review and evaluate weak structures at risk of being affected by earthquakes and have solutions for these structures.

“Currently, the Institute of Geophysics has installed 11 earthquake monitoring stations in Kon Tum and conducted in-depth updated research to assess the level of earthquake activity in this locality,” said Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh.

To proactively prevent and minimize damage caused by earthquakes, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh recommends that localities in the Kon Tum area assess the impact and level of influence of earthquakes that have occurred on houses, offices, and schools.

Especially inspecting hydroelectric and irrigation works to promptly detect and fix incidents and damages to ensure safety for people and property.

At the same time, prepare human resources, materials and means to respond and overcome consequences promptly when situations arise; continue to promote and improve earthquake prevention and control skills for people.