Maharashtra records 29 small quakes in two weeks, seismologists classify as earthquake swarm

Published Aug 17, 02:14 AM UTC

Over the past fortnight, Maharashtra has experienced a spate of small earthquakes, with 29 tremors recorded, mostly in and around Nashik. The strongest was a magnitude 4.3 quake near Nagpur on August 8. Seismologists classify this pattern as an earthquake swarm, where multiple quakes of comparable magnitude occur without a clear mainshock. Maharashtra, located far from tectonic plate boundaries, experiences intraplate earthquakes due to stresses within the Indian plate and geological weaknesses in the Deccan Traps bedrock. The article explains the mechanics of earthquakes, the nature of swarms, and the role of water in triggering quakes. It notes that such swarms are common in Maharashtra, citing a major swarm in Palghar from November 2018 that lasted over a year.