The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center of the Institute of Earth Sciences (Institute of Geophysics) reported that the earthquake occurred at 1:36 a.m. at a depth of approximately 8.1 km. It registered as a level one on the 12-level disaster risk scale (very weak, usually only detectable by instruments).

Epicenter location in Mang But commune. Photo: Institute of Geophysics

Pham Thanh Binh, vice chairman of the Mang But Commune People's Committee, said the earthquake caused tremors lasting several seconds but did not cause any damage in the area.

Anh Nguyet, who runs a grocery store in Mang But commune, clearly felt the tremors. Everyone in her house was sound asleep when they suddenly heard a loud noise and felt their beds shaking violently for 3 to 5 seconds. Household items and goods fell to the floor. Although she lives in an area prone to earthquakes, she felt this one was much stronger than previous ones, causing her concern.

About 150 km from Mang But commune, in Pleiku, Gia Lai province, Le Huu Nam said he heard a slight shaking and a rattling sound on the roof while his family was sleeping, initially thinking it was a rat. "At first, I thought it was a rat on the roof," Nam recounted. "I got up, turned on the light, and saw things in the house shaking slightly, so I immediately thought of an earthquake."

Since 2021, the Institute of Geophysics has recorded more than 1,086 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 3.0 to 5.0 in the area (formerly Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province), some of which caused widespread tremors. The largest was a 5.0 magnitude earthquake on the afternoon of 28/7/2024; before that, on 23/8/2022, there was a 4.7 magnitude earthquake.

Tran Hoa