Jeypore: A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck Koraput district in Odisha late on Saturday, triggering mild tremors and brief panic among residents in the region.
According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the quake occurred at approximately 11:31 pm, with its epicenter near Koraput at a shallow depth of 5 km. The seismic event, which lasted around 6–8 seconds, was centered in the vicinity of Jeypore and affected an area within roughly a 5 km radius initially, though tremors were felt more broadly. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported so far.
Tremors were reported in several nearby locations, including Lamtaput, Jeypore, Sunabeda, Borigumma (Boriguma), Similiguda (Semiliguda), Nandapur, Potangi, and Damanjodi, and also extended into parts of Malkangiri district and across the border in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district, particularly in areas like Araku Valley and Paderu.
People were seen rushing out of their houses frightened by the unprecedented shaking with household items and utensils falling off shelves in several homes. They gathered in open spaces, fearing aftershocks. “I felt everything around me shaking. I ran outside the house to see what was happening and saw people gathered outside their homes,” said a local resident.
Others echoed similar sentiments of fear and panic, in trying to make sense of what happened. “I felt the bed on which I was sleeping shake vigorously. I woke up everyone inside the house and we rushed outside. We are standing out in the open, in case more tremors will come,” said another.
