Andaman & Nicobar islands experience 8 earthquakes within 8 hours - Eight earthquakes, including two major ones, hit the Andaman and Nicobar islands in a time period of eight hours on Monday, with each measuring around five or more on the Richter Scale. However, there was no tsunami alert.

Another earthquake not far from the archipelago struck North Sumatra island in Indonesia, measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale at 3:04 pm and at a depth of 10 kms.

As per the Seismology Division of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the first earthquake struck at 4:12 pm measuring 5.2, trailed by another earthquake 11 minutes later measuring 5.

The third earthquake hit on 5:24 pm again measuring 5, at 6.54 pm, a quake measuring 5.2 jolted the islands. At around 8:04 pm, another quake of 5.2 was recorded and then at 8:17 pm a mild tremor of 4.9 hit the islands.

About two hours later, an earthquake measuring 6 jolted the islands at 10:17 pm, one more measuring 5.6 struck minutes later at 10:29 pm. All earthquakes were noted at a depth of 35-60 kms.

The area surrounding the Andaman and Nicobar islands and the Indonesian archipelago is known to be a high seismic zone and often records tremors.