Series Of Minor Earthquakes Shake Gujarat's Rajkot In 12 Hours

Rajkot: Rajkot district in Gujarat experienced a flurry of earthquake tremors from Thursday night into Friday morning. In roughly 12 hours, authorities recorded nine separate quakes, a highly unusual cluster for the region. 

The strongest tremor measured up to 3.8 on the Richter scale, while others were milder. 

Residents in towns such as Upleta, Dhoraji, Jetpur and nearby villages felt the shaking. Many woke up or stepped outside as the ground wobbled. There have been no reports of serious injuries or major damage to homes or buildings so far, officials say. 

How Frequent Were the Tremors?

The first shake was felt around 08:43 pm on Thursday and the last one was recorded at 08:34 am on Friday. After that, several tremors followed through the night and into the early hours of Friday. Four of the nine recorded quakes exceeded a magnitude of 3.0, with the rest falling in the "micro" category, smaller shakes that often go unnoticed without instruments. The weakest one was recorded at 2.7 magnitude. 

The Institute of Seismological Research in Gandhinagar are reviewing the pattern, though quakes of this size are usually not considered dangerous. Still, the cluster in such a short time has drawn attention. 

Did People Feel It and How Did They React?

Those who felt the tremors described brief jolts and swaying floors. Some residents rushed outdoors, especially in the early morning shakes, to wait in open spaces. Panic spread briefly in quieter rural settlements where people were awakened by the repeated movements. 

Is This Common in Gujarat?

Gujarat sees seismic activity from time to time, especially in parts of Saurashtra and Kutch. But such a series of small quakes in Rajkot’s Upleta–Dhoraji belt over a short span is not typical, say officials. The reason for this cluster is still being examined by seismic experts.