Situation of quake-hit southern Thai provinces back to normal, no reports on damage or casualties

PHANG-NGA, THAILAND, February 20 (TNA) - Thailand's southern resort Phang-nga, Phuket and Krabi Provinces were jolted by a 4.0-magnitude earthquake on Friday afternoon, but there were no reports on any damage or casualties and the situation has returned to normal. Local disaster prevention and mitigation centres of the three affected provinces reported that they have followed up updates and looked into losses, confirming that there were no losses in both people's life and property and the situation has already returned to normal. National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) Director Group Captain Somsak Khaosuwan told journalists that he was informed by local disaster prevention and mitigation networks in Phang-nga, Phuket and Krabi that people living in the joint border areas of the three affected provinces felt the tremor although there were no reports of any damage, while NDWC has kept monitoring updates closely. The NDWC chief also urged people in the affected areas to closely follow up official reports released by his office, but asking them not to be panic as the situation has not been serious. The 4.0-magnitude quake occured at 1:02pm (Thailand's time), with its epicentre located in the sea, about two kilometres from the sea surface, in the vicinity of Koh Yao District in Phang-nga. (TNA)