Location of the earthquake in Laos on Thursday morning. — Photo news.zing.vn

The shakes possibly resulted from a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hitting northwestern Laos near the border with Thailand.

Many city residents reported they felt their furniture shaking.

Hoai Le, living on the 27th floor of Times City Apartment Building, Hai Ba Trung District, said she felt dizzy after waking up and saw the furniture moving.

The reports were widely shared on social networks.

Residents of Vinh City, central Nghe An Province, could also feel the tremor on Thursday morning.

Dr Nguyen Xuan Anh, head of the Institute of Geophysics, told Vietnam News Agency that the vibration possibly resulted from a 6.1-magnitude earthquake at a depth of 38km in Sayabouly, Laos at around 6.50am on Thursday (Hanoi time).

There were no immediate reports of damage.

The epicentre was about 219km from Vientiane, Laos’ capital city and 600km from Hanoi.

AFP reported that tremors could be felt more than 700km away in Bangkok, where Pope Francis is currently on a four-day visit.

Sophon Chaila, an official at the Thai Meteorological Department, said the tremors were also felt in northern and northeastern Thailand.

Vibrations were also felt in some areas of Myanmar and China.

At 3.32pm on Wednesday, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake at the depth of 10km was reported in Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province.

Dien Bien records ninth earthquake this year

The northwestern province of Dien Bien was jolted by a quake measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale on September 20, which is the ninth one in the province this year.  

VNS