Six small earthquakes struck Kon Plong District in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum between 11:31 am and 12:41 pm on Friday, with magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 3.4, according to the Vietnam Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center.

Nguyen Xuan Anh, head of the center at the Institute of Earth Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, confirmed that all six quakes were shallow -- at depths of around 8.1 to 8.2 kilometers -- and carried a disaster risk level of zero, meaning no damage is expected.

Three of the quakes registered at magnitude 3.4, while the others measured 3.0, 2.7, and 2.6.

The center is continuing to monitor seismic activity in the area.

Just days earlier, on March 31, Kon Plong also experienced five earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 3.1.

Earthquake activity of this scale is considered weak in Vietnam.

Earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.0 and 3.0 may be felt as very light tremors by some people, with no structural damage.

Quakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 can cause light shaking and might rattle household objects, but rarely lead to harm.

Globally, over one million quakes of 2.0-3.0 magnitude and more than 100,000 in the 3.0-4.0 range occur each year.

Since April 2021, hundreds of minor quakes have been recorded in Kon Tum, particularly in Kon Plong District.

Some have caused mild shaking over a wider area.

The strongest recent tremor occurred on July 28, 2024, reaching magnitude 5.0, while an earlier event on August 23, 2022, registered 4.7.

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.

While quakes above 5.5 magnitude are considered unlikely, he stressed the need for more detailed research to understand the area's seismic risks.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!