Folks in Rajkot district, Gujarat, got jolted awake when quakes hit one after another through the night. Shaking started Thursday late, didn’t stop till Friday dawn – nine separate rumbles counted by then. Houses wobbled, people stepped outside, unsure what was next.
Damage? None so far, say authorities who’ve checked every report. Not a single casualty turned up anywhere.
A shiver ran through the ground just after eight forty three Thursday evening. By Friday morning, another jolt arrived close to eight thirty four. These weren’t big quakes – barely registering on measuring tools. Still, one followed by another got people moving toward doorways. Houses emptied quietly as neighbors stood in driveways, watching sidewalks crack underfoot.
A reading of 3.8 marked the most intense shake, whereas one hit just 2.7 – the lowest seen. Out of nine total shakes, four went past magnitude 3, slipping into what experts call minor events. Shivers under 3 usually earn the label micro; quakes from 3.0 to 3.9 fall into a slightly higher group – still minor – and hardly ever harm anything.
A shake’s starting point sat 27 to 30 kilometres up from Upleta, heading northwest, a place where quakes do not often occur. That pattern feels odd, given how quiet the ground usually stays there.
Scientists say Kachchh rumbles more than anywhere else in Gujarat, yet these ongoing jolts near Rajkot stand out as uncommon. The earth here does not behave like that very often.
Shaking briefly startled people, yet officials ask everyone to stay composed. Watching things unfold carefully now, emergency crews see nothing suggesting further tremors at this time.
Small tremors usually let go of pressure under the ground, which means big quakes might happen less often, scientists note.
Even so, what’s happening in Rajkot feels off to specialists, so they’re watching closely – trying to piece together how the land moves there.
Folks in Rajkot are back to their usual routines, glad the shaky hours didn’t bring harm. Still, officials urge caution – stick to safe habits, keep an ear out for news from trusted sources.