Strange 'siren-like' sound, tremors jolt people in Kasaragod

Kasaragod: A mild earthquake was felt in the hill taluk of Vellarikundu in Kasaragod district at 1.35 am on Saturday, according to several residents and officials.

The earthquake was reported from Kallar, Kodom-Belur, Kinanur-Karinthalam, Balal and West Eleri grama panchayats, said Vellarikkundu Tahsildar V Murali. "I was in my room when my mother called out hearing a loud strange sound," he said. "Soon after, several people called me saying they felt the earth shake briefly," he said.

According to CCTV footage from Sinu Thomas Poovamnilkunnathil's house at Odayanchal in Kodom-Belur panchayat, the sound was heard and the tremor was felt at 1.35.44 am. "The tremor was felt all around in Odayanchal," said Thomas, who came home from Abu Dhabi for vacation.

Prakashan Nayikeyam, a rubber grower from Odayanchal, said he heard a big strange sound while returning from a temple festival at Kunumvayal. "I called Shiju, my neighbour. He too felt the same. I didn't know what was happening. I thought it was an earthquake but I was not sure," he said.

Jose Mullamparayil, a retired government employee from the area, said he was awake when the almirah rattled. "I think it was a small earthquake," he said.

Alexander Palayil, a gulf-returnee, said he was awake because his son was running a high fever. "My wife and I were dabbing my son with a wet cloth when we heard a strange sound. I asked my wife if it was an earthquake. I said it jokingly. In the morning I realised many felt the same and it was an earthquake. We felt it on the spot," said Palayil, who goes by the name Xander.

At Vellamanda, near a quarry, four families rushed out in the night hearing the "siren-like" sound, said Jimmy Mathew, a resident.

People at Parappa and Berikulam in Kinanur-Karinthalam panchayat said their beds shook in the night.

Tremors were reported from Malom, Narkilakkad, Palamkallu, Attenganam, Chullikkara, Chakkithakudam, Thadiyan Valapp and Banam.

Kunhiraman at Attenganam said his entire house shook. Tahsildar Murali said he has reported the earthquake to the control room, and the exact measurement of the tremor will be known soon. No damage or injuries were reported from the taluk, he said.

The National Center for Seismology recorded three earthquakes off the coast of the Arabian Sea between 4.30 am and 5.28 am on Saturday. The earthquakes were of magnitude 4.3, 4.6 and 4.7. Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) officials said that the tremors were felt off the coast of Lakshadweep, and no tremor was reported along the land part of the Southern peninsula. "There is no epicentre anywhere on the land part of Kerala. The one that was felt in Kasaragod may be because of aftereffect rumblings of tremors recorded off the Lakshadweep coast," an official said.