83 earthquakes occurred in July in Kon Tum and Thanh Hoa provinces

On August 1, information from the Institute of Geophysics (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) said that in July 2024, 83 small earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 5.0 continued to occur, mainly concentrated in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province.

Among them, the 5.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred at 11:35 a.m. on July 28 in Kon Plong district (a "hot spot" where earthquakes frequently occur across the country) was determined to be the strongest earthquake ever recorded in this area. Previously, in 2022, this area recorded a 4.7 magnitude earthquake.

According to preliminary information, the 5.0 earthquake caused some damage to houses and affected the psychology of people in Kon Plong district, especially the area near the epicenter. Even some people in neighboring provinces such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Da Nang city said they also felt the shaking - possibly due to aftershocks of this earthquake.

According to the Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center - Institute of Geophysics, of the 83 earthquakes that occurred in July, 82 occurred in Kon Plong district. Of which, on July 28 alone, there were 21 earthquakes; on July 29, there were 25 earthquakes.

The remaining earthquake occurred in Ngoc Lac district, Thanh Hoa province on July 21 with a magnitude of 4.1.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Institute of Geophysics, said that the earthquakes that occurred in Kon Plong district in recent times were stimulated earthquakes, caused by the water accumulation process of the hydroelectric reservoir affecting the active fault system below, causing the earthquakes to occur earlier than the natural law.

Induced earthquakes also occur cyclically, with periods of intense earthquakes and quieter periods. This is closely related to the water storage operation of hydroelectric reservoirs.

According to Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, some factors related to stimulating earthquakes such as reservoir water level, reservoir water filling rate, total water volume will affect earthquakes. However, these effects can occur after several months, several years when the water has seeped enough below.

According to the regulations on "earthquake and tsunami prevention and control regulations," when receiving news of an earthquake or tsunami warning, People's Committees at all levels must notify the people in the area; organize evacuation instructions and mobilize local means to help people evacuate to safety while taking measures to ensure security and order in the area.

Upon receiving news of an earthquake or tsunami warning, all citizens in the affected area must proactively evacuate from the dangerous area to ensure safety.