VietNamNet Bridge – At 10.18am this morning, residents of high-rise buildings in Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hai Duong felt dizzy, furniture in their rooms shook. The Institute of Geophysics has determined that an earthquake of 4.4 on the Richter scale occurred in Kien An district, the northern port city of Hai Phong.


The epicenter of the 4.4 magnitude earthquake in Hai Phong.
Photo: Institute for Geophysics.



Ms. Diep Sa, in Tay Ho District, Hanoi said she was working on a building on Lac Long Quan Road when she felt a shortness of breath while the table and the flowerpot vibrated.

On Lang Road, though he lives only the second floor, Mr. Nguyen Duc Phong also felt a slight vibration. Being afraid of a quake, he rushed downstairs.

Caption: The epicenter of the 4.4 magnitude earthquake in Hai Phong. Photo: Institute for Geophysics.

Similarly, Mr. Doan said that at about 10:20, he was working at his office on Dien Bien Phu Road, Hai Phong, when he felt his chair shaking for about 5-6 seconds.

Many people in Kien An and Ngo Quyen districts, Hai Phong city, also shared their feeling of vibration at their home. People feared and ran out of their houses.

Ms. Hong Minh, from Bac Ninh province, said she does not live in a high-rise building but she could still feel the aftershocks and the furniture in her house was shaken.

People in some northern provinces Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Thai Binh, Hai Duong, and Phu Tho also felt the vibration.

Mr. Le Huy Minh, deputy director of the Institute of Geophysics confirmed that at 10:18 of October 3, an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 on the Richter scale occurred in Kien An (Hai Phong), at the depth of 15 km. This earthquake could cause vibration level 5 (MSK-64 scale). This is a weak earthquake that could not cause damage, but people in the epicenter area could feel objects swinging.

According to Minh, the Center for Earthquake and Tsunami Notification, under the Institute of Geophysics, continues to monitor the earthquake.

Meanwhile, at 2am of October 3, many people in Tra Bui commune (Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam province) recorded an earthquake accompanied by loud bangs and strong vibration.

Mr. Ho Van Tien, Chairman of the Tra Bui Commune People's Committee, said in the past three days, earthquakes always occurred at night, making people afraid.

"Consecutive earthquakes have harmed more than 300 houses in the resettlement zone of the Commune. People dare not to live in their houses anymore, they rushed to set up tents, wood houses on stilts to avoid quakes, "Mr Tien said.

However, due to the seismic station is too far away, it could not record small earthquakes occurring in this region. The Institute of Geophysics is installing seismic stations in Bac Tra My district and a number of communes that are located closely to the Song Tranh 2 hydro power plant to measure earthquakes of magnitude 1 Richter scale or more.

Prof. Cao Dinh Trieu from the Institute of Geophysics said the quake occurred in Hai Phong is in the form of tectonic earthquake, on the intersection of two fault zones named Dong Trieu - Cam Pha and Red River. The Dong Trieu - Cam Pha fault zone is very active.

"This fault zone extends from China to Vietnam, and on this fault zone a powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake occurred. Previously, in Cam Pha, Quang Ninh Province, tectonic earthquakes happened on this fault zone," Prof Trieu said.

On a night in late March 2011, an earthquake level 4 (MSK-64 scale) caused people in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Lai Chau ... panic.

Compiled by Le Ha