VietNamNet Bridge – An earthquake, measuring 2.5 on the Richter scale, hit the districts of Nam Tra My and Bac Tra My in the central province of Quang Nam on Wednesday, but no structural damage was reported.

A section of the reservoir at the Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant in Quang Nam Province. A quake, measuring 2.5 on the Richter Scale, struck districts of Nam Tra My and Bac Tra My.

Local residents from the two districts felt their homes shaking in the morning.

This is the third earthquake to have occurred near the Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant in two weeks.

A report from the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics, said the quake had a seismic focus at a depth of 8km, near the area of the previous tremors – measuring 3.9 and 3.2 on the Richter scale – on February 27th.

It also said the epicentre of the quake was in the area of Nuoc Xa Village in Nam Tra My District – 50km from the hydropower plant.

The Ha Noi-based Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Centre has been tracking the quake.

Neighbouring Bac Tra My District, 40km from Quang Nam Province’s Tam Ky City, has been stricken by over 20 earthquakes and tremors since 2012.

The biggest quake, measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale, struck Bac Tra My District in 2012, and was the biggest quake in Quang Nam Province, causing superficial damage to over 100 houses.

At a conference in 2012, experts concluded that the series of tremors occurring in the area were due to seismic activity caused by water stored in the hydropower plant reservoir, and that their magnitude was not greater than the reservoir’s capacity to withstand quakes (of up to 5.5 in magnitude).

Several earthquakes measuring 2.6 to 3.6 on the Richter scale struck mountainous districts of Que Son, Tay Giang, Phuoc Son in 2015.

VNS