Sri Vijaya Puram| Aug 10: A moderate earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale struck the Bay of Bengal at 12:02 p.m. (IST) today, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor, originating at a shallow depth of 10 km, was reviewed and confirmed by NCS seismologists.
The epicentre was located at latitude 14.04°N and longitude 92.95°E, roughly 269 km north of Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Other reference points place it 788 km north of Campbell Bay, 464 km southwest of Yangon in Myanmar, and 815 km west of Bangkok, Thailand.
While no official damage or casualty reports have emerged so far, residents in parts of North and Middle Andaman reported mild shaking. The shallow depth of the quake meant vibrations could be felt over a wider radius, though their intensity was relatively low.
The seismic activity was captured by India’s network of over 160 advanced monitoring stations operated by NCS. Analysis of felt reports showed a spike in public responses within the first two hours of the event, tapering off thereafter. The tremor was part of a cluster of seismic movements in the region, with another event, magnitude 4.5 detected earlier in the day, 259 km west of Diglipur, still under scrutiny
Experts note that the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman–Nicobar region lie in a tectonically active zone where the Indian Plate interacts with the Burma Microplate, making it prone to frequent seismic events. Historical records indicate that while moderate quakes are common, the region has also experienced major earthquakes and tsunamis in the past, underscoring the need for constant preparedness.
Authorities have not issued a tsunami warning following today’s quake, and normalcy prevails in the islands. The Andaman & Nicobar administration continues to monitor the situation, with disaster management teams on standby.
The public is advised to remain alert, follow official advisories, and report any unusual structural damage to local authorities.
