Series of Earthquakes Shake Maharashtra's Marathwada, 105 Houses Damaged

Four consecutive earthquake tremors struck Maharashtra's Marathwada region in the early hours of Thursday, damaging more than 100 houses across Hingoli district and triggering panic among residents in Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani . While there were no reports of casualties or injuries , the overnight seismic activity has renewed concerns over recurring earthquakes in the region and underscored the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness and earthquake-resistant infrastructure.

According to officials, four tremors measuring between 3.6 and 4.6 on the Richter scale were recorded between 1.37 am and 3.23 am . The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) identified the epicentre at Shirli village in Vasmat taluka of Hingoli district , with the earthquakes originating at a shallow depth of around 10 km . Such shallow earthquakes tend to produce stronger ground shaking, making even moderate tremors widely felt across nearby districts, including Nanded, Parbhani and parts of Latur .

The latest incident is part of a recurring seismic pattern in the region. NCS data shows that Hingoli experienced a 4.7-magnitude earthquake on April 11 , followed by 3.6 and 3.5-magnitude tremors on July 2 , before Thursday's sequence of four earthquakes. Seismologists say these repeated tremors indicate that the Hingoli-Vasmat fault system remains active, although there is no immediate evidence to suggest a major earthquake is imminent.

Hingoli Collector Rahul Gupta , who visited the affected villages, said the damage was largely confined to residential buildings. "A few kaccha (thatched) houses were damaged. Tin roofs collapsed, while some pucca (concrete) houses developed cracks," he said.

A preliminary survey by the district administration found that 105 houses suffered damage. In Aundha Nagnath tehsil , 10 houses sustained partial damage, including two in Kanjara village and eight in Amdari village . Another 95 houses in Vasmat tehsil developed wall cracks in Pangra Shinde, Vapti, Kupti, Dhamangaon, Khandala, Shirli and Rajwadi villages. Revenue officials have completed inspections in all affected areas.

Experts classify these as intraplate earthquakes , which occur within the Indian tectonic plate rather than along major plate boundaries like the Himalayas. The continued northward movement of the Indian Plate creates stress that can reactivate ancient faults beneath the Deccan Plateau , occasionally triggering moderate earthquakes in peninsular India.

The tremors have also revived memories of the devastating 1993 Latur earthquake , one of India's deadliest intraplate earthquakes, which claimed nearly 10,000 lives . Although Thursday's strongest tremor measured only 4.6 , the damage to several rural homes highlights the vulnerability of older kaccha houses , unreinforced masonry structures and buildings with tin-sheet roofs. Much of Marathwada falls under Seismic Zone III , a moderate-risk category where adherence to earthquake-resistant construction norms remains critical.

Disaster management experts say the latest incident reinforces the need for structural safety audits , wider adoption of earthquake-resistant building practices , expansion of seismic monitoring across Marathwada and greater public awareness of emergency measures such as the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" protocol. With detailed damage assessments underway, authorities have urged residents to avoid entering visibly cracked buildings until they are declared safe, while geologists continue monitoring the region for any further seismic activity.