A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck Mang But commune in the central province of Quang Ngai early on October 5, according to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics, Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology.
The quake occurred at 1:28:42 am (Ha Noi time), with disaster risk reaching level 1. Under Decision No. 18/2021/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister, the level-1 disaster risk for earthquakes is defined when ground shaking of intensity level 5 to 6 is recorded anywhere in Viet Nam. Such quakes may cause minor damage and limited impact on people and property, and can be easily managed.
The same area experienced four consecutive smaller quakes on October 5, with magnitudes ranging from 3.4 to 4.3, all assessed at disaster risk level 0. Several scattered tremors had also been recorded in previous weeks, including a 4.5-magnitude earthquake on September 11, which was rated at risk level 1.
According to Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre, since 2021, hundreds of quakes have been recorded in Quang Ngai (the area part of the former Kon Tum province), with most in the former Kon Plong district. Some have caused widespread shaking. The strongest to date was a 5.0-magnitude quake at noon on July 28, 2024.
