VietNamNet Bridge - A strong earthquake occurred in the areas around the Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant on the evening of October 22, in Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam Province. Officials of Bac Tra My district said this might be one of the most powerful earthquakes ever in the area.

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of Bac Tra My district, said the earthquake occurred at around 8.40pm and lasted for around 5 seconds.

"I was sitting at home when I heard explosions and the house shook; some objects fell to the ground," Tuan said.

The official said some of his relatives in Tam Ky city, Quang Nam province, also felt the vibration and called him to ask about the earthquake.
 
Bac Tra My people confused with earthquakes

Mr. Tran Minh Y, who runs a coffee shop in the town of Bac Tra My, said some cups on the tables in his shop fell to the ground and were broken. He predicted that the earthquake last night was very strong. Some guests were panicky and ran out of the shop.

According to Mr. Hoang, a resident in the city of Tam Ky, his family was watching TV when they felt the vibration. Some objects in the house were shaking.

Meanwhile, Chief of the People's Committee of Tien Phuoc district’s office, Mr. Doan Dung, said many people in Tien Phuoc also clearly felt the vibration and they were scared.

Many people in the districts of Que Son, Nong Son and Hiep Duc, which are around 100km from the Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant also felt the quake, according to Dan Tri newswire.

In Tra Doc commune of Bac Tra My district, Chairman Ho Van Loi said local people felt the earthquake very well.

During the night, thousands of people ran out of their houses. Teacher Ngo Thi Minh in the town of Bac Tra My said her family was about to go to bed when the ground suddenly staggered. "I was trained to respond to an earthquake, but in a state of panic, my children cried and got under the bed while I and my husband rushed out to the yard," she said.

After the earthquake, the local government set up an inspection team to check damage.

The new earthquake monitoring station does not work?

According to Dan Tri newswire, more than 45 minutes after the earthquake, the seismic observatory station of Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant could not release any information about the quake. This station was just put into use on October 20.

Vice Chairman of Bac Tra My district, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan said after the earthquake, he immediately contacted the management board of Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant Project but they could not provide any information about the tremor.

"The seismic observatory station was just inaugurated but after almost 1 hour it could not produce any report. So how can it warn people about earthquakes?" Tuan wondered.

According to the Center of Information on Earthquake and Tsunami Warning of the Geophysics Institute, the earthquake last night had a magnitude of 4.6 on the Richter scale, at the depth of 7 km. This is the most intense earthquake in the last one year in this region.

It is expected that in October, the Institute of Geophysics will complete the installation of five seismic monitoring stations in the areas around Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant.

Compiled by Thu Hang