Gujarat: Mild tremor of 3.5 magnitude hits Kutch as cyclone Biparjoy inches closer

A tremor of 3.5 magnitude was recorded in Gujarat's Kutch district on Wednesday evening at a time when cyclone Biparjoy is approaching the coast in the region, officials said.

No damage to property or life was reported. The tremor was recorded at 5:05 PM at a distance of 5 km West South West (WSW) of Bhachau in Kutch district, the Institute of Seismological Research at Gandhinagar said in its update.

The powerful cyclone is very likely to cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts and make landfall near Jakhau Port in Kutch by June 15 evening, according to Met department. Kutch district is located in a very high risk seismic zone, and earthquakes of lower intensity occur regularly there.

The 2001 earthquake was the third largest and second most destructive in India over the last two centuries. A large number of towns and villages in Kutch district suffered extensive damage, killing thousands of people and leaving 1.67 lakh injured.