Vijayawada: Tremors from a 5.3 magnitude earthquake centered in Mulugu, Telangana, sent shockwaves across parts of Andhra Pradesh and triggered brief panic across Krishna district, including Vijayawada, on Wednesday morning.
The earthquake struck at 7:27 a.m. with vibrations lasting 10 to 20 seconds. Residents of Balaji Nagar and Ranigari Thota, areas near the banks of the Krishna River in Vijayawada, reported feeling the tremors. Likewise, residents of Poranki, Tadigadapa and Totlavalluru rushed out of their houses in alarm because they did not know what had happened.
“While we were having breakfast, the house shook slightly,” recalls K Rambabu, a school teacher in Vijayawada. “At first I thought it was nothing serious. But after watching the news, I realized it was an earthquake. Luckily, no damage was reported,” he added.
In some neighborhoods, people gathered outside and speculated about the source of the vibrations until news of the earthquake became widely known. “Initially we were confused,” said Mogili Bhanu, a resident of Balaji Nagar. “It was only when we heard about Mulugu that we realized it was an earthquake.”
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) confirmed that the earthquake, which originated in Mulugu, had an impact radius of 230 kilometers and tremors were felt in districts such as Krishna, NTR, West Godavari, East Godavari and Kakinada.
Despite the widespread tremors, no casualties or property damage were reported. APSDMA issued a press release reassuring residents that the earthquake posed no immediate danger and urged them to remain calm.
The APSDMA is closely monitoring the situation and has reiterated the importance of earthquake preparedness in the region. While the tremors briefly caused panic, life in the affected areas quickly returned to normal as residents resumed their daily lives.