An earthquake in Vietnam shook Ratanakkiri province on the morning of July 28. This is the first seismic event felt in the region since the volcanic eruption 700,000 years ago that formed Yeak Laom Lake, which is approximately 800m in diameter and up to 48m deep.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.1, struck near Kon Tum city in Vietnam at 11:35am local time, sending tremors across the region.

Its impact left people in Cambodia visibly shaken, particularly in Banlung city’s Laban Siek commune and O'Yadav district’s Paknhai commune.

Chhay Thi, chief of Pate commune in O'Yadav district, reported that the quake briefly affected some parts of the province.

"It shook the ground and houses for a moment in O'Yadav, Bakeo, Andong Meas and Banlung, but there was no property damage or injuries,” said Thi.

In Plang village of Pate commune, three residences were reported to have felt tremors, he added.

Thi, who has lived in the province since 1986, confirmed that this was the first earthquake he had experienced in the region.

He referenced the volcanic history of the lake, noting that such events were rare.

“A natural miracle happened thousands of years ago when it is said that Yeak Laom Lake was formed by a volcanic eruption,” he told The Post.

A weak shake shocked petroleum seller in Banlung city, Ratanakiri. Chay Thi’s Telegram

Volcanodiscovery, a seismic tracking website, reported that weak tremors were felt in Banlung and Lumphat districts, with minor effects such as objects falling from shelves.

In Phnom Penh, located 508km southwest of the epicenter, the quake was felt as very weak tremors.

In Vietnam, it caused strong ground movement near the epicentre due to the quake’s shallow depth of only 4.5km.

Reports indicated weak to light vibrations extended to the cities of Danang, Pleiku and Ho Chi Minh.

Despite its strength, there were no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties, although monitoring and assessments are ongoing.

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake in Vietnam on the same day was felt in Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani and Sakon Nakhon provinces, according to Nation Thailand.

The quake, occurring at a depth of 10km and 361km southeast of Ubon Ratchathani’s Muang district, caused buildings to sway and caused people to lose their balance in various districts.

Vietnam's seismic activity includes several notable earthquakes in recent history, such as a 6.2 magnitude quake in 2019 near Dien Bien Phu and several 5.7 magnitude events in 2021 and 2018.