Now Reading: 5.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Andaman and Nicobar Islands
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5.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Story in Brief
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck 218 km north-northwest of Bamboo Flat in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Thursday (29 October 2026), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). No reports of damage or casualties were immediately available from any source. Volcano Discovery reported the quake at a depth of 10 km at 3.19 pm local time (GMT +6:30), with moderate shaking near the epicentre 224 km northwest of Port Blair.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in Seismic Zone V, classified as having very high earthquake risk. In February 2026, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck the Nicobar Islands, according to the National Centre for Seismology. No tsunami warning was reported following Thursday's tremor.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All six sources lead with the same USGS figure of magnitude 5.1 and the location 218 km north-northwest of Bamboo Flat, and none reports damage or casualties. News24online and India TV News add the earlier February 4.6 earthquake, while The Times of India and The Logical Indian keep coverage to a brief factual report. Volcano Discovery provides technical data and a map of nearby towns, framing it as an event of scientific interest rather than an alert. The consistent absence of any official response, tsunami warning, or damage reports across all outlets indicates that this is a minor seismic event in a region accustomed to such activity, not a developing crisis.
Coverage: 6 sources, 6 neutral
Sources (6): news24online.com (neutral report), indiatvnews.com (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), volcanodiscovery.com (neutral report), thelogicalindian.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 6 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 29 October 2026: this story now draws on 6 sources.
