Panic prevailed acrosss six districts of the state on Monday as mild tremors shook buildings, forcing people to run out of their homes.
The tremors, that occurred between 11.53 a.m. and 11.55 a.m., measured 3.9 on the Richter scale, according to the metrological department officials. No casualities and property damage was reported.
According to an eyewitnesses, the tremors were felt in some places in Guntur, Nalgonda, Khammam, Krishna, Prakasam and Ranga Reddy districts. They were also felt in Nagarjunasagar, Suryapet, Halya, Kodada, Mellacheruvu, Miryalaguda, Mettupalli and Gurrampodu in Nalgonda district. In Guntur and Prakasam districts, panic-stricken people rushed out of their houses in several villages. “The utensils on the dining table were seen shaking,” said T Rama Rao, a resident of Vinukonda in Guntur district.
R Koteswari, a resident of Rajendranagar in Guntur city said she felt the tremors while having lunch at noon. S Govinda Rao of Addanki in Prakasam district said that he felt his chair shaking when he was watching TV and thought somebody was shaking it from behind.
According to sources, mild tremors were felt at Rajendranagar, Vikasnagar and some other places in Guntur city and Achhampeta, Macherla, Bellamkonda, Piduguralla, Krosuru, Sattenapalli, Krosuru, Narasaraopet, Gurajala, Tadikonda, Machavaram, Talluru, Dachepalli, Vinukonda, Savalyapuram and Chilakaluripeta of district.
In Krishna district, Nandigama, Chandarlapau, Kanchikacharla, Jaggiahpeta and Penuganchiprolu witnessed the tremors for 3 seconds around 12 noon.
In Khammam, people in Chintakani, Pandillapadu, Nagulavancha, Pasarlapadu Madira and Bonakallu felt the tremors. In Prakasam district, Addanki, Martur, Podili, Mundlamuru, Santamaguluru, Ongole, Darsi, Pullalacheruvu and Talluru witnessed the tremors. Many houses and commercial complexes reportedly developed cracks.