Two medium-intensity earthquakes hit Gujarat and Mizoram on July 5, both in a span of 20 minutes, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said.

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre around 14 km from Bhachau in Kutch district of Gujarat, was recorded at 5.11 p.m., an official of the Gandhinagar-based Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said. It was preceded by four minor quakes of 1.8, 1.6, 1.7 and 2.1 magnitudes between 1.50 a.m. and 4.32 p.m., the official said. ISR is an institute under the Gujarat government.

However, the NCS, an institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the magnitude of the quake was 3.9. The same region on June 14 recorded an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude that was felt across several parts of Saurashtra region, forcing people to rush out of their houses. Kutch district is located in a “very high risk” seismic zone and low intensity earthquakes regularly occur there.

The 2001 earthquake, also known as the Bhuj earthquake, was the third largest and second most destructive in India over the last two centuries.

Seventh quake hits Mizoram in three weeks

In Mizoram, a quake of magnitude 4.6 hit Champhai district at 5.26 p.m. This was the seventh one to jolt the northeastern State in less than three weeks, officials said.

Image tweeted by the National Center for Seismology shows the epicentre of an earthquake that hit Mizoram on July 5, 2020. Photo: Twitter/@NCS_Earthquake  

The earthquake’s epicentre was 25 km south-southwest of Champhai, according to the National Centre for Seismology. The depth of the earthquake was 77 km, it said.

This was the second earthquake to hit Champhai district, located on the India-Myanmar border, in the last three days and seventh one to rock the state since June 18.