Magnitude 4.2 earthquake shakes Vietnam’s Son La

Nguyen Xuan Anh, director of the Institute of Earth Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, said two consecutive quakes had occurred in the commune.

The first tremor, measuring magnitude 2.6, occurred at 6:35 am.

About 25 minutes later, a stronger earthquake measuring magnitude 4.2 struck the area.

Both earthquakes had focal depths of approximately 12 kilometers.

Residents living near the epicenter reported feeling noticeable shaking during the second earthquake.

Tong Hoang, a resident of Chieng Coi Ward, said the first tremor caused only slight shaking.

The second, which occurred shortly before 7:00 am, lasted some five to seven seconds, shaking his entire house and producing a deep rumbling sound.

A large rock rolled down a hill behind a house in Mai Son Commune following the magnitude 4.2 earthquake, said an official of the commune.

Tran Thu Hai, a resident of the commune, said the boulder, estimated to weigh several cubic meters, rolled into the kitchen of a house belonging to a woman identified as H., causing part of the structure to collapse.

Fortunately, no one was inside the kitchen when the rock struck.

The institute initially assessed both earthquakes as posing no disaster risk, assigning them a disaster risk level of zero.

The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center, under the institute, continues to monitor the seismic activity.

Son La has experienced stronger earthquakes in the past.

In 2020, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the province, causing considerable damage to homes and infrastructure.

In May 2026, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake occurred in Muong Hung Commune, causing noticeable shaking.

In Vietnam, earthquakes measuring magnitude 4 to 5 are generally classified as light tremors.

During such events, household objects may shake and produce noise, and many people indoors can feel the shaking.

People outdoors may notice slight ground movement.

These earthquakes generally cause no damage or only minor damage, although moderate or significant damage is possible in rare cases.

Some objects inside buildings may fall.

Globally, earthquakes of this magnitude occur relatively frequently, with an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 events recorded each year.