In a span of around 25 minutes, four earthquakes, jolted local residents of Jaipur in the wee hours on Friday. According to the police, no information of any loss of life was recorded.
As per the state government’s disaster management, relief and civil defence department, the first earthquake was felt around 4:09 AM and was measured around 4.4 magnitude on the Richter scale. Three more tremors were felt at 4:22 am, 4:25 am and 4:31 am, having a magnitude of 3.1, 3.4 and 2.5.
According to the data shared by National Center for Seismology, (NSC), the first earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit the state capital at 4.09 am at a shallow depth of 10 km and the following tremors at a depth of 5 kilometres, sparking panic even as no loss of life was reported.
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Speaking to Outlook, PC Kishan, secretary, department of disaster management and relief shared, "If we go by the statistics the first jolt was felt for about 10-15 seconds. While the earthquake was only measured at 4.4 on the Richter scale, the jolt was scary because the depth of the epicentre was 10 kilometres below the ground".
Kishan who is on his toes along with his team added, "We have been attending the panic calls since morning. We have activated all the WhatsApp groups. Our department is conducting a detailed report on the quakes. As of now, no loss of life or major damage of property has been reported". As per the department, the epicentre of all four quakes was in Jaipur.
Residents shocked, CCTV visuals viral on social media
Panic-stricken people rushed out of their houses as the tremors were felt in parts of the city. Throughout the day, the visuals from the CCTV footage across various residential buildings of the walls and gates shaking went viral on social media. Jaipurites also shared their experiences over social media.
Calling it the first of its kind, 91-year-old Hira Bai, a resident of Malviya Nagar told Outlook, "This was one of the most severe earthquakes that I remember have felt in last many decades. Within no time our entire family was out in the park. People were scared to go back to their houses for two hours as there was a scare of more tremors".
Another resident 69-year-old Shyam Lal Sharma of Vaishali Nagar who came running from his home shared, "I could feel the entire building shaking including the main gate. In the morning after the visuals recorded in our CCTV of the entire place shaking were scary".
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and several others took on to Twitter to express their concern.
