According to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center under the Institute of Geophysics, the quake occurred in Houaphan province, Laos, at 11:26 p.m. on November 12.

The epicenter was located just about 5 kilometers from the Vietnam-Laos border, near Na Meo commune in Thanh Hoa province. The quake had a focal depth of approximately 10 kilometers and was classified at level 1 on Vietnam’s disaster risk scale.

A map published by the Institute of Geophysics shows the epicenter situated in northern Laos.

Within minutes of the tremor, residents across Hanoi, as well as in Phu Tho, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An provinces, reported light shaking that lasted for several seconds.

Some areas of Hanoi experienced gentle but noticeable tremors that took many by surprise. Several people shared that while resting, they suddenly felt their beds and furniture shaking - initially mistaking it for dizziness or fatigue.

Nguyen Van Huy, a resident of Hong Ha ward, recalled: “Around 11:30 p.m., my whole family was lying down when we felt the bed and our bodies trembling for about 5–6 seconds. Even after the shaking stopped, the pendant I had hanging near the bed kept swinging for a while.”

“At first, I thought I was just dizzy, but everything in the room was moving. Both my wife and child felt it too, so we knew it had to be a real tremor,” he added.

Nguyen Thu Huong from Ha Dong ward said: “I was lying in bed on my phone when I felt my body and the bed shaking. I thought I was just tired, but then neighbors started saying they felt it too - and that’s when I realized it was an earthquake.”

Khanh, a resident of Thanh Xuan ward, said he was watching television when the screen and a glass of water on the table began to shake. “At first, I thought a big truck had passed by, but when I checked online and saw that others were reporting the same thing at the same time, I realized it was a quake,” he shared.

Hoc, who lives in Tu Liem ward, said he felt two distinct waves of shaking, each lasting only a few seconds but strong enough to notice. “Glass doors and wall hangings trembled, and the kids were so scared they ran into our bedroom. The tremors weren’t intense, but it was the first time I experienced something like this in my neighborhood,” he said.

Vu Diep