- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Fri, 09 Jan 2026 05:01 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Gujarat School Holiday: The recent earthquake swarm in Gujarat has caused significant alarm across the state, particularly in the Rajkot district. A series of continuous earthquake tremors created an atmosphere of fear among the people in the Jetpur, Dhoraji, and Upleta regions of Gujarat on Friday, January 9. According to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), a total of 11 seismic tremors (with some reports suggesting up to 21 minor jolts) were recorded in the area in the last 6 hours.
According to ISR data, the first tremor was recorded at 8:43 PM last night with a magnitude of 3.3 on the Richter scale, centered approximately 30 kilometers from Upleta. The strongest tremor was felt at 6:19 AM, with a magnitude of 3.8.
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Tremors Continue Since Early Morning:
In total, 11 shocks were recorded within a span of six hours, from 6 AM to 12 PM.
Schools closed in Dhoraji:
Due to the continuous tremors, several private schools in Dhoraji, Rajkot district, declared a holiday today as a precautionary measure. This decision was taken keeping in mind the safety of the children. The children who had already reached school in the morning were also sent home.
To prevent any mishaps in older or rickety school buildings, the district administration and school management in Dhoraji and Jetpur immediately suspended classes. Around 119 schools have remained shut today as experts from the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) monitor the situation.
Gujarat is situated on several seismic fault lines, including the Kachchh Fault, the Katrol Hills Fault, and the Naliya Fault. Stress continuously builds up on these faults due to the movement of the Earth's plates, which is released in the form of earthquakes when the faults rupture.
Furthermore, the Indian tectonic plate is moving northward and colliding with the Eurasian plate. This impact is not limited to the Himalayas but extends to the Kachchh and Gujarat regions. The Rann of Kachchh is geologically an old rift zone, which is why mild to moderate earthquakes occur frequently in this area.