Mumbai: Palghar was jolted by tremors of 4.3 magnitude on Friday morning. The intensity of tremors was the highest recorded in the region, as the previous major earthquake registered a 4.1 on the Richter scale in February. Parts of Palghar district, especially Dahanu and Talasari talukas, have been experiencing tremors since November.
A scientist, who has researched this quake-affected area, describes the phenomenon as ‘earthquake swarm’, and says this can go on for months. Dhundalwadi and surrounding villages are experiencing this phenomenon. There are repeated quakes of low magnitude in the region, from 2.5 to 3.9 on the Richter scale or less.
On an average, the area witnesses 20 minor quakes a day,” said Dr Vineet Gahalaut, scientist from the National Centre for Seismology, who is studying the Palghar phenomenon. However, the number of earthquakes had once gone up to as high as 600 a day once, Gahalaut said.
However, he has ruled out the likelihood of a disaster waiting to happen. “An earthquake swarm is a passing phenomenon. It has occurred in several places on the west coast. We have installed four earthquake measuring units in Dahanu and three in Talasari,” said Gahalaut. He is hopeful the quakes will subside with the onset of the monsoon.
