Hanoians experienced a rare shock this morning after an earthquake in Laos and Thailand was felt by some in the capital.
The magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck a border area between Laos and Thailand and caused high-rises in both Bangkok and Hanoi to sway, reports the Washington Post.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred about 10 kilometers underground, just inside Xaignabouli Province in Laos and over 600 kilometers north of Bangkok. Locals in both Chiang Mai and Bangkok felt tremors lasting around 30 seconds, yet reported no major damage.
Climate demi-god, forecaster vigilante and general dream-weaver Hanoi’s Weatherdude confirmed the tremors were felt in the Vietnamese capital:
“There were reports of an earthquake this morning at around 6:50-6:55 AM our time. The epicenter was located in Laos, north of Vang Vien. Not too far from Hanoi. People felt the earthquake in high buildings mostly. I had a friend feel it in Ba Dinh and another in Thanh Xuan,” the mysterious meteorologist said in a Facebook post.
Although minor tremors occur from time to time, stronger earthquakes rarely afflict Vietnam. In 2018, a magnitude-5.3 earthquake centered in southern China rattled Hanoi and frightened many in the city. The earthquake's epicenter was about 10 kilometers into China's Yunnan Province, yet tremors were felt as far south as the capital, several hundred kilometers away.
[Top image via USGS]
