123Pune.com

PUNE/SATARA: An infant died and four of a family were injured at Nathachiwadi in Yewat taluka, near Daund, when a wall of their house collapsed due to an earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale at 3.17 am Wednesday. The baby was trapped under the debris of the wall, the child's grandfather, Bapurao Valkunde, said.

The quake, measuring 4.8 on Richter scale, resulted in damage to over 430 houses in Patan taluka of Satara district. However, the Koyna dam in Satara district is completely safe, irrigation department officials said. The epicentre of the earthquake was at Kadoli village, 13.6 km to the south-east of Koyna dam, P.B. Jadhav, research assistant of the earthquake study centre in Koynanagar said.

The tremors lasted for about 20 seconds, jolting several areas in western Maharashtra. Around eight persons in four villages received minor injuries, officials said.

In Pune, many residents of areas like Sinhagad road, Kothrud, Law college road, Wakadewadi, Peth areas and Pune Camp felt the tremors.

The quake was felt most in Patan, Mahabaleshwar, Satara, Karad, Javali, Shirala and Malkapur, and people rushed out of their houses in panic.

The tremors brought back the memories of the December 11, 1967 earthquake in the Koyna dam region and also the quake which took place on September 30, 1993 at Killari in Marathwada, which took place immediately after the Ganapati immersion day.

Satara district collector Vikas Deshmukh toured the villages in Patan taluka to assess the damage. According to the tehsildar of Patan taluka, Satish Dhumal, 437 houses in 77 villages were damaged. The eight injured were provided treatment at the government hospital and were discharged.

Speaking to TOI, U.V. Siddamal, executive engineer of the Koyna dam management department, said the dam is completely safe. "The dam can sustain an earthquake up to 8 on the Richter scale," he said.
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