An early Thursday morning earthquake, registering a magnitude of 4.5, shake up northern Thailand, causing noticeable tremors across six provinces.
The earthquake was promptly reported by Thailand Earthquake Observation Division of the Meteorological Department.
According to their report, the earthquake was detected at 12:17 am this morning from a depth of five kilometers underground in Tambon Phai Lom, located in Phitsanulok’s Bang Krathum district.
Residents from a diverse geographic distribution experienced the tremors. They spanned from the epicenter in Phitsanulok to its nearby provinces of Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet.
Farther afield, the tremors were reported to have been felt in Nakhon Sawan province, located in the lower North, and even as far away as the northeastern province of Loei.
Significantly, the earthquake caused discernible damages, with reports emerging of new cracks forming at Wat Rat Chang Khwan. This sacred Buddhist temple is nestled in the Muang district of Phichit.
This temple, a spiritual hub for locals, lies approximately 7 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake.
Further investigation by the Department of Mineral Resources tied the quake to a sudden movement of a hidden fault.
This fault had lain dormant and undetected for over a century. The earthquake, was relatively shallow, which contributed to its widespread perceptibility, they further explained.
According to the department’s records, the impact of the quake was noticeable across six provinces: Phitsanulok, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan, and Loei.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the underlying geological complexities of the region.
