Four consecutive earthquakes struck Kon Plong District in Kon Tum Province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, on Monday morning, according to the Vietnam Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center. ​

The first tremor occurred at 4:08 am with a magnitude of 3.1, according to Nguyen Xuan Anh, director of the center at the Institute of Earth Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. 

This was followed by other earthquakes at 4:10 am and 4:46 am, registering magnitudes of 3.0 and 2.6, respectively.

The fourth quake took place at 9:28 am, with a magnitude of 2.9.

All four earthquakes had a focal depth of approximately 8.1 kilometers.​

These seismic events correspond to a natural disaster risk level of zero, indicating they are unlikely to cause damage.

Nonetheless, the center continues to closely monitor seismic developments in the area, Anh stated. 

On Sunday at 4:38 pm, another earthquake with a magnitude of 3.3 and a focal depth of 8.2 kilometers occurred in the same district.​

Between 1903 and 2020, over 30 earthquakes were recorded in Kon Tum, with the strongest reaching a magnitude of 3.9.

However, since April 2021, hundreds of quakes have occurred in the province, particularly concentrated in Kon Plong.

Notable among them were a magnitude-5.0 quake on July 28, 2024 and a magnitude-4.7 quake on August 23, 2022.​

Recent tremors in Kon Plong are considered induced earthquakes defined as ones resulting from human activities such as the construction of reservoirs and hydropower dams, mining operations, or nuclear explosions, according to Anh. 

Preliminary studies suggest that earthquakes in Kon Tum will continue in the near future but are unlikely to exceed a magnitude of 5.5.

Further studies are necessary to thoroughly assess seismic activity in this region.​

In Vietnam, three significant earthquakes occurred in northern Dien Bien Province in 1935, 1983, and 2001, with magnitudes of 6.9, 6.7, and 5.3, respectively, according to official statistics.​

Dr. Anh noted that in Vietnam, earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 3.9 are considered minor, often felt by some people and causing slight shaking of objects but rarely resulting in damage. 

Quakes with magnitudes from 4.0 to 4.9 are classified as small, while those ranging from 5.0 to 5.9 are considered moderate, with the potential to cause minor to moderate damage.

A quake is categorized as strong when its magnitude reaches 6.0.

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