A magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit the Andaman Sea on Thursday afternoon which shook parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Residents and authorities were concerned over the tremor particularly in North Andaman and Middle Andaman where mild shaking was felt but so far no casualties or property damage has been reported after the quake.
Authorities have taken precautionary measures and are monitoring the situation to ensure public safety. Tourists and fishermen have been asked not to venture into sea till further instructions from authorities.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said the earthquake occurred at about 3:19 pm on Thursday. The epicentre was 218 kms north-northwest of Bamboo Flat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The earthquake depth was about 10 km below the surface of the earth. Since the earthquake depth was shallow tremors were felt in some parts of island region also. Officials said information was immediately conveyed to the concerned departments and precautionary measures were taken to deal with any emergency.
An official from the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) in Sri Vijaya Puram said precautionary instructions were given to tourists and fishermen not to go into the sea. It was done as a safety measure after the earthquake took place and officials were monitoring the situation and if any developments take place they would take steps.
Fishermen in surrounding waters have been asked to be cautious while tourists have been told to follow local authorities’ instructions and avoid unnecessary movement towards coast. Administration has kept emergency response arrangements ready in case things change.
Officials also said that several teams are keeping a watch on seismic activity in the region. These teams are monitoring developments and coordinating with departments so that any emergency can be handled immediately. Some areas of North Andaman and Middle Andaman reported mild tremors but although some residents reportedly were concerned about shaking there have been no reports of structural damage or injuries so far. Authorities are still collecting information from different parts of islands to assess overall impact of earthquake.
The DEOC official also talked about administration preparedness for natural disasters. The official said mock drills and emergency preparedness exercises are regularly held so that government departments and response teams are ready for any unforeseen eventuality.
EQ of M: 6.1, On: 29/10/2026 13:19:50 IST, Lat: 36.466 S, Long: 98.059 W, Depth: 10 Km, Location: South Pacific Ocean. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @tummalasrini @GSuresh_NCS @ndmaindia https://t.co/4NemNNffiZ
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) October 29, 2026
Such exercises make officials aware of emergency response procedures, coordinate rescue operations and communicate important safety instructions to the public. “Preparation like this is necessary for an island territory like Andaman and Nicobar, which isa seismically active region and remains vulnerable to earthquakes and other natural calamities,” he added.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are in a tectonically active zone near the boundary of the Indian and Burma tectonic plates. It has been hit by earthquakes many times because of its location, but the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami also devastated parts of the island territory, so preparedness for disaster and early warning systems were needed then too. So far no damage has been reported from this latest earthquake but authorities are taking it cautiously and will continue to monitor seismic activity.
“Since the epicentre of the earthquake was much away from the coastline, no damage has been reported anywhere in Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far,” an official said. Emergency officials are coordinating with departments concerned and keeping response teams alert.
Residents, tourists and fishermen have been asked to follow official advisories and not spread unverified information. Authorities will keep monitoring the situation till there is clarity on any further seismic activity. “The immediate impact seems to be very limited, but it is a reminder that preparedness and timely safety measures are needed in earthquake-prone areas,” he added.
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