Buri Ram district in panic state after two earthquakes in three days

The first earthquake with a 2.9 magnitude, which occurred at a depth of one kilometre, shook up the Ban Non Ngiew community on Monday afternoon (July 22). 

The second earthquake at 3 magnitude, also at a depth of one kilometre, hit the Ban Lung Muang community on Wednesday evening (July 24), two kilometres away from the first one. 

Although no damage has been reported, provincial officials have instructed community chiefs to follow the situation closely. 

Residents, meanwhile, have been instructed to be careful and avoid entering the centre of the earthquake zone for their safety.

Locals in the Ban Lung Muang community told the media on Thursday that they started to worry about the safety of their lives and properties after the second earthquake occurred three days after the first one.

Niphon Innok, a lecturer at Mahamakut Buddhist University, said he did not sense any abnormalities when the second earthquake took place around a kilometre from his residence, although he experienced nausea while working during that time.

However, he was concerned about possible aftershocks, as he had experienced the earthquake in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district before. He asked officials to investigate the phenomenon thoroughly to boost the confidence of the residents.

Echoing Niphon, another Ban Lung Muang resident, Anupong Champasri, said he did not sense any vibration when the tremors occurred. He added that there was no damage to residents or their properties.

He also admitted that he felt uncertain after hearing that an earthquake had hit the area twice, urging government agencies to evaluate the impact to ease the worries of residents.

Boonprasong Nuansai, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Buri Ram province

Meanwhile, the governor of Buri Ram has ordered provincial agencies in 23 districts to monitor the earthquake situation closely, so they can assist locals as soon as possible.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Thai Meteorological Department have also been ordered to find out the cause of the tremors, said Boonprasong Nuansai, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Buri Ram province.

He said people were not affected by the earthquake because its epicentre was confined to a small area. However, he noted that locals at Lam Plai Mat Market had felt vibrations when tremors had occurred in October and November last year.

Experts from the Thai Meteorological Department and Department of Mineral Resources would investigate thoroughly, as the cause is still unclear, he said.

He said this phenomenon could become a case study because Buri Ram is located off the world fault line. He also asked locals not to panic and follow instructions from government officials.