Shallow 2.9-magnitude quake felt in Surat Thani, no damage reported

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake struck Surat Thani on Sunday (March 8), with residents in parts of Ban Ta Khun district reporting that they felt the tremor, according to the Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Monitoring Division.

The department said the quake occurred at 12.29.32pm and was centred in Khao Phang subdistrict, at a depth of just 1 kilometre, making it a shallow earthquake that could be clearly felt in the surrounding area.

Residents in Khao Phang and areas near Ratchaprapha Dam reported feeling the effects of the tremor. People living in multi-storey buildings, including dormitories, apartments and flats, especially on the fourth floor, said they heard a loud thud followed by slight shaking of buildings and objects inside rooms.

However, there were initially no reports of serious structural damage to buildings or any abnormality at the dam. Officials were continuing to inspect the area in detail as a precaution.