As reported by Lao Dong Newspaper, from 0:41 to 11:49 on October 6, in Mang Ri and Mang But communes (Quang Ngai province), there were 15 earthquakes, of which the strongest was at 4.9 degrees, causing strong shaking.
People in areas more than 100 km from the center such as Pleiku ward or An Khe ward still clearly felt the shaking, houses and furniture made a big noise.
Ms. Y Biet (Co Chat village, Mang But commune) said: "That night, I was sleeping when the house shook strongly. When I woke up, I saw the house filming, so I hugged my child and ran outside. Earthquakes happen frequently here, so we are used to them, but when the shaking is too strong, we are still very confused. Since the hydropower reservoir accumulated water, earthquakes have occurred continuously".
Mr. A Lien (ro Xia village, Mang Den commune) said: "The earthquake on October 6 was very strong, my house shook fiercely. When checking, the walls and floor were cracked. This frequent earthquake has significantly affected the lives of my family and the people here.
Currently, the mountainous areas of Mang But, Mang Ri, Kon Plong communes have many large-scale hydropower projects such as Upper Kon Tum Hydropower Plant, Dak Dinh Hydropower Plant and Dak Re Hydropower Plant.
Of which, the Upper Kon Tum Hydropower Plant (investment capital of VND9,500 billion) is the largest project in the Central Highlands with a capacity of 220 MW, including 2 generators, with a reservoir capacity of 145 million m3.
Dak Trinh Hydropower Plant has a capacity of 125 MW, invested by Dak Trinh Hydropower Joint Stock Company - PV Power (Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group).
Ms. Tran Thi Huong - representative of Dak Re Hydropower Plant (Tien Tan Hydropower Joint Stock Company) shared: "Luckily, the area where the plant is located is quite far from the shocking area so it is less affected. However, continuous earthquakes have made operators of hydropower plants in mountainous areas worried.
This year, natural disasters, landslides, and floods have caused damage in many places, so the company always focuses on drills and developing scenarios to respond to the worst possible situations.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai - Director of Thuong Kon Tum Hydropower Plant (Vinh Son - Song Hinh Hydropower Joint Stock Company) said that after the earthquakes, the unit immediately inspected and reviewed all dams, dam bodies and factories.
According to Mr. Hai, the recent earthquakes have helped dozens of hydropower plants become more proactive and ready to respond to natural disasters and landslides that could threaten human life.
As for the cause of the earthquake's stimulation, he said scientists have not yet had a clear conclusion on whether the phenomenon is related to the simultaneous water storage of hydropower plants.
