KRISHNAGIRI/CHENNAI: A mild tremor measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale struck parts of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts on Wednesday evening, triggering moments of anxiety among residents.

However, district authorities quickly stepped in to assure the public that there was absolutely no cause for panic.According to the National Centre for Seismology, the minor tremor was recorded at 7:52:08 pm. The epicentre of the seismic activity was located near Marandahalli in Dharmapuri district, at latitude 12.346° north and longitude 77.936° east, with its focal depth measured at 10 km beneath the earth’s surface. People in Pettamukilalam village near Denkanikottai in Krishnagiri district felt the tremor and panicked. District collector C Dinesh Kumar appealed to the public to be calm. Quoting National Disaster Management Authority guidelines, the collector emphasized that earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 are classified as minor tremors caused by minor adjustments in tectonic pressure and are highly unlikely to result in structural damage to buildings or pose any danger to life.

“The district administration is closely monitoring the situation on the ground. Since this was an extremely mild tremor, there is no need for panic. However, as a precautionary measure, if any resident notices any physical damage or experiences unusual vibrations, they should immediately contact their local revenue or disaster management control rooms,” he said.