VIJAYAWADA: Mild tremors were felt in several parts of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam on Tuesday following the recurrence of earthquake aftershocks measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale in Nepal.
In Vijayawada, areas including Benz Circle, Bhavanipuram, Gandhinagar and Gollapudi and also a few areas of Krishna district experienced the tremors.
Residents rushed out of their houses for fear that the buildings might collapse. There were, however, no reports of any loss of life or damage to any property.
Around 12.30 pm, when the students of Narayana Junior College (NJC) at Benz Circle were busy chitchatting with each other and having their lunch, started shouting suddenly and came out of the building, as they noticed the benches, chairs and the bags were moving. “As usual, we were having our lunch and were busy talking, when suddenly our lunch boxes and the benches began shaking. We were frightened and came out of the building,” said P Arpita, an Intermediate student of NJC.
The shopkeepers in the Governorpet area ran out of their shops as the earth shook for a few seconds. “While working, I noticed all the equipment moving and I rushed out my shop”, said S Ram Babu, an automobile worker in Governorpet area.
Urban tahsildar R Siva Rao, who visited the Governorpet area, after receiving the earthquake tremor reports, said that according to the seismograph machine, a moderate earthquake between 5.5 magnitude and 6 magnitude on the Richter Scale occurred in some parts of the city.
He added that Vijayawada was the only city in AP that was covered under the Government of India-United Nations Development Programme Disaster Risk Management Programme.
In Visakhapatnam district, parts of Pothinamallyyapalem, Madhurwada, Muralinagar, Kalabharathi Area, Port Area, Visalakshinagar Maddilapalem, Gajuwaka and a few other areas experienced tremors lasting two to three seconds. With the news about the tremors spreading from one area to the other, residents ran out of their flats / apartments in Muralinagar, PothiMallayapalem, Madhurwada and some other areas of Visakhapatnam city.
A reeport from Rajahmundry says that tremors for about 2 seconds around 12.30 p.m. created panic among people in various parts of East and West Godavari districts.
The people ran out of their houses and offices.
Window panes shook and utensils rolled out of the shelves in many houses.
The report further said that the earthquake was felt at Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Amalapuram and Gollaprolu in East Godavari district and Undi, Bhimavaram, Tanuku, Tadepalligudem and Eluru in West Godavari district.