Multiple tremors jolted parts of Gujarat’s Saurashtra region between Thursday night (January 8, 2026) and Friday (Janaury 9) afternoon, triggering panic among residents of three talukas in Rajkot district. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported so far, officials said.
At least 12 tremors, with magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 3.8 on the Richter scale, were recorded during the period, according to the Gandhinagar-based Institute of Seismological Research (ISR). The tremors were felt mainly in Upleta, Dhoraji and Jetpur talukas.
Rajkot District Collector Om Prakash said that a total of 21 tremors were recorded in the affected talukas, with magnitudes ranging between 1.4 and 3.8. The first tremor, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 8.43 p.m. on Thursday (January 8), with its epicentre near Upleta town.
ISR officials said the epicentres of the tremors were located about 27 to 30 km east-northeast of Upleta. The repeated shaking, described by experts as an “earthquake swarm”, led to widespread fear among residents, many of whom rushed out of their homes following the initial tremor.
Locals said the ground continued to shake intermittently until Friday afternoon, prompting several families to take shelter in open fields as a precautionary measure.
Collector Prakash said there had been no reports of casualties or damage to property. As a preventive step, the district administration has identified old and dilapidated buildings in the affected areas and advised residents to shift to safer locations.
“We have communicated with teachers, talathis and sarpanchs after identifying old structures. A day-long holiday has been declared in anganwadis and schools housed in such buildings,” he said.
Seismology experts said the tremors were part of swarm-type seismic activity, which is generally caused by water seepage into pre-existing fractures in the earth’s crust. This increases pore pressure, generating strain that is released in the form of small earthquakes.
Such swarms are typically of low magnitude and rarely cause damage, they added.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
