An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale in the close sea range to the Southeast of the island shook some parts of the Southern and Western Provinces, Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau (GSMB) Senior Geologist and Geophysicist Mahinda Seneviratna told the Sunday Observer yesterday. According to reports, residents in Colombo, Wellawatte, Galle, Akuressa, Battaramulla, Neluwa, and neighbouring townships had felt the earth shaking in the afternoon. National Building Research Organization (NBRO) sources said there were no reports of casualties or damage.
GSMB Geo Physicist Seneviratna said that earthquakes of this nature happen often in the Indian Ocean. “But this one had taken place close to the mainland. That’s why the people felt the earth shaking. He said the wave was felt on the surface because the earthquake occurred 10 kilometres deep in the sea and only 1,000 kilometres from the shore. He said the residents felt it for a while because the seismic wave propagated not so very deep from the earth’s surface. He said the earthquake had occurred in the Indo–Australian plate, Southeast of the country.