4.9-magnitude quake in Kanchanaburi

The Earthquake Observation Division of the Meteorological Department reported an earthquake with magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter scale in Si Sawat district of Kanchanaburi at 10.39pm Sunday.

No casualties or damage was immediately reported.

The division reported that the quake was two kilometres underground and was sensed in Kanchanaburi, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, Suphan Buri and Nakhon Pathom provinces.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) stated that the epicentre was about 60 kilometres east of the Vajiralongkorn dam and about 55 kilometres north of the Srinagarind dam, and the quake had no impact on those structures or other dams of the state enterprise.

People can check the live surveillance cameras of both the closest dams to the quake epicentre, at http://snr.egat.com/index.php/cctvsnr for the Srinagarind dam and http://vrk.egat.com/index.php/cctv for Vajiralongkorn dam.

The temblor was noticeable especially in Si Sawat, Sai Yok, Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhla Buri districts of Kanchanaburi. Sangkhla Buri was crowded with tourists visiting for the New Year holidays.

Sangkhla Buri district chief Pakorn Kannawallee said local officials would conduct a survey in the morning to look for damage. But he said it is likely to be slight or non-existent because the quake lasted only 10 or 15 seconds.

Apichart Pimlamat, a local resident in Sangkhla Buri, said he was eating with friends at home and their bottles and glasses shook.

Si Sawat district stands above the Si Sawad fault line which runs through Ban Rai district of Uthai Thani and Si Sawat and Nong Prue districts of Kanchanaburi.

A previous quake in Kanchanaburi happened on July 14, 2005 with the magnitude of 4.8. Its epicentre was in tambon Trang Phlay of Sangkhla Buri district, at the depth of about four kilometres. People felt it in Sangkhla Buri and Thong Pha Phum districts.