M 5.2 quake hits state, rekindles 2016 tragedy
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 28 2025:
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the state in the wee hours Wednesday, awakening residents across the state and neighbouring regions.
The low seismic wave attenuation nature of the quake indicates a concern for infrastructure though the incident did not cause any damage.
The tremor, recorded at 1:54 am by the Seismological Observatory of Manipur University, had its epicentre near Saiton in Moirang sub-division of Bishnupur district, approximately 48 km southwest of Imphal, at a depth of 43 km .
This seismic event is part of a series of tremors affecting the region.
On June 26, 2024, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred near the same epicentre.
Two earthquakes of moderate intensities were also felt on Wednesday, with a magnitude 2.6 quake at 2:26 am recorded near Songphu village in Churachandpur district, and another of magnitude 3.9 at 10:23 am near Kangvai in the same district.
Manipur lies within Zone V, the highest seismic risk zone in India, due to its proximity to the Indo-Burmese arc and active fault lines like the Churachandpur-Mao Fault.
This region s geological complexity contributes to its vulnerability to seismic events.
Preliminary analyses suggest a right-lateral strike-slip mechanism, indicative of horizontal crustal movement that can release energy rapidly across fault lines.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported the epicentre in Churachandpur, at a depth of 40 kilometres.
Peak ground acceleration (PGA) values recorded at distant seismic stations like Jorhat (0.002 g) and Daporijo (0.00085 g) indicated mild ground motion but broad perceptibility.
Residents from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland reported feeling the quake.
More than 15 user responses were submitted to the NCS mobile app within two hours of the event, NCS reported.
"This was a structurally complex legion, and the event occurred near a known zone of tectonic heterogeneity," NCS said in its preliminary report.
However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicentre slightly northeast in Moirang, with a depth of 46 km.
Such discrepancies are common dtie to variations in seismic network densities and models.
Data from USGS' "Did You Feel It?" program showed similar felt intensities, with reports clustering across Northeast India and parts of Bangladesh.
Intensity values ranged from II to V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale, consistent with light to moderate shaking.
While no injuries or damage were immediately reported, experts caution that even moderate events like Wednesday morning's quake highlight the region's structural vulnerability.
Low attenuation in the Indo-Burmese arc allows seismic waves to travel farther with less energy loss and moderate quakes can have wide geographic impact and affect regions not typically considered high-risk.
The recent tremor evokes memories of the devastating 2016 earthquake that struck Manipur.
On January 4, 2016, a magnitude 6.7 quake with its epicentre in Noney district caused widespread destruction.
The disaster resulted in at least 10 fatalities and over 300 injuries, with significant damage to infrastructure, including government buildings and the iconic Ima Keithel in Imphal.
Approximately 1,787 buildings were damaged leaving thousands homeless and displacing many more.
Wednesday's seismic activity also draws attention to the broader regional seismic risks.
On March 28, 2025, a devastating magnitude 7,7 earthquake struck central Myanmar near Mandalay.
The shallow quake caused widespread destruction and loss of life in both Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand.
More than 3,600 people have been confirmed dead, over 5,000 injured, and many still missing.
The epicentre was located approximately 9.9 miles outside of Sagaing, Myanmar, at a depth of six miles.
Tremors were felt across the region, including parts of China and neighbouring countries.
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