Việt Nam rattled by 458 earthquakes in 11 months

A local official in Kon Plông District demonstrates earthquake safety procedures to residents. — VNA/VNS Photo

According to the Institute of Geophysics, the majority of these tremors have been concentrated in the central highlands province of Kon Tum.

Since the beginning of 2024, the Institute has recorded 458 minor earthquakes in Việt Nam, over 430 of which occurred in Kon Tum's Kon Plông District alone.

November was particularly active, with 49 recorded earthquakes registering between 2.5 and 4.0 on the Richter scale, of which 39 hit Kon Plông. Notably, a 3.3-Richter earthquake on November 9 in Phú Thọ Province caused mild tremors felt as far as Hà Nội.

The frequency of these seismic events has raised concerns among residents and scientists alike.

Experts attribute the surge in seismic activity to the construction of hydropower dams in the region. The process of filling these reservoirs can induce earthquakes, known as "induced seismicity," by altering the stress on underlying fault lines.

"The earthquakes in Kon Plông are induced earthquakes, caused by the process of water accumulation in the reservoir acting on the active fault system below," said Nguyễn Xuân Anh, Director of the Institute of Geophysics.

While these earthquakes are generally small and pose little immediate threat to human life, they highlight the need for robust earthquake preparedness measures. Authorities are working to develop more accurate earthquake prediction models and educate the public on how to respond to seismic events.

"The experience of other countries shows that induced seismicity can last for decades," said Cao Đình Triều, an earthquake expert. "We can expect more earthquakes in Kon Tum, but they are unlikely to exceed a magnitude of 5.5."