Tremors in Mangaluru: Quake Side Effects or Mass Hysteria?

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 25, 2015: Soon after news spread about a 7.8 Richter magnitude earthquake in Nepal this morning, reports began to pour in about mild tremors in several parts of the coastal region including Mangalore, Udupi and Manipal. The most notable report was of a tremor allegedly of 30 second duration supposedly felt in Light House Hill.

It was claimed that furniture rattled slightly and many people even ran out of their buildings. But when contacted for clarification regarding the phenomenon, both the Mines and Geology Department, and The Indian Meteorological Department, which keep tab of seismic activity in the region, have flatly denied any such occurrence. While the officials did not rule out the chances of aftershocks being felt in the region, as a result of the Nepal quake, their equipments have not recorded any unusual activity, they said. 

Hence, in the absence of scientific confirmation, it is not yet clear if the tremors were real or if the horror of Nepal quake was working on the minds of the people and making them imagine things. For example, on busy streets it is not uncommon to feel vibrations in ground and the buildings whenever a heavy vehicle passes by. With the news of an earthquake still fresh in the air, could it be that such a normal explanation might be there for these reports too?