NELLORE: People ran out of their houses fearing for life when tremors were felt in various parts of Nellore following an earthquake of 8.7 magnitude struck off the coast of Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon.
People were rattled as earth trembled not once or twice but four times. Even houses and buildings shook slightly. The tremors were of 15 seconds duration.
Tremors were experienced at Sullurpeta, Tada, Brahmadevam and parts of Nellore district, Balaji Nagar, Moolapeta and parts of Nellore town at around 2.45 p.m.
When cots started shaking in houses and utensils kept on the racks in the kitchen, fell to the ground and walls shaking slightly people become panicky and rushed outside their houses. Similar was the experience of patients in Narayana General Hospital in Nellore rural mandal and some had even rushed out of the hospital in panic.
High alert has been sounded in fishermen hamlets and fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea and messages were passed on to those already in the sea over radio sets to return home.
Fisheries department joint director Gopinath Sai said officials in all 108 villages of 11 mandals have been asked to alert the village heads of fishermen villages and ensure that those who ventured into the sea returned.
District collector B Sridhar said the official machinery has been put on alert. Revenue officials in coordination with police were asked to be ready for evacuating fishermen from villages depending on the situation. Tirupati: Mild tremors for few seconds were experienced in some parts of the temple town of Tirupati.