Magnitude 3.5 Tremor Jolts Singrauli; Residents Rush Out of Homes

An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 struck Singrauli district in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday afternoon, October 17, at about 2:12 pm. The epicentre was about 10 kilometres below the surface, at roughly 24.239 degrees north and 82.502 degrees east. Residents ran out of their homes into open areas, and the tremor caused alarm in the region.

Local residents say that tremors often occur in the afternoon, particularly between 2 pm and 4 pm, and link them with heavy daytime mining. The report says this link is unconfirmed and still under investigation.

Singrauli frequently experiences tremors of magnitude 3 to 4, according to National Center for Seismology records and media reports. Earlier events mentioned include a magnitude 3.1 tremor on March 16, 2022, a magnitude 3.3 on December 26, 2023, a magnitude 3.1 on March 15, 2024, and tremors of about 3.5 on March 26 and 27, 2025.

This year the district has recorded several more: a magnitude 3.4 on July 17, another magnitude 3.4 on July 26, a magnitude 3.7 on August 8 at a depth of about 7 km, and a magnitude 3.5 on September 30 at a depth of about 15 km.

No damage or injuries were reported in the account of the October 17 tremor. Tremors of this size are usually felt but rarely cause serious damage, although old or weak buildings can develop cracks.

Residents are advised to move to open ground during a tremor, avoid lifts and stay away from loose objects, and to follow updates from the district administration and the National Center for Seismology. A scientific study would be needed to establish whether mining activity has any role in the repeated tremors.