Three new quakes in Thai North, no casualties reported

CHIANG RAI, THAILAND, August 25 (TNA) - Three earthquakes struck the Thai North on early Monday morning, with its epicentre located in Mae Suay District of Chiang Rai Province, but there have been no reports of casualites. According to the Meteorological Department’s Seismological Bureau, the first quake of the magnitude of 2.5 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre located two kilometres underground, jolted the area at 2:35am, followed by another quake of the 4.4-magnitude, with its epicentre at 6 kilometres underground, which hit the area on 5:32am and the last tremor of the 3.9-magnitude, with its epicentre at 5 kilometres underground, which shook the same area at 5:42am respectively. The quakes were also felt by people in many other adjacent areas, including Mae Lao, Phan, Wiang Pa Pao and Muang Districts in Chiang Rai, causing panic among the locals although there were no reports of casualites. Chiang Rai Governor Pongsak Wangsamer, meanwhile, ordered the provincial prevention and mitigation office and local administrative organisations to immediately inspect and survey damaged areas for further action and assistance. Chiang Rai was shaken by a strong earthquake of the 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale on May 5, 2014, followed by over 1,000 aftershocks over the past couple of months, affecting several areas in the province and other adjacent northern provinces, namely Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun, Nan and Phayao, as well as Nong Khai and Loei in the Thai Northeast and even some high buildings in Bangkok. (TNA)