28 August 2018 (M w 4.5) Bengal Basin Earthquake Highlights Active Basement Fault Beneath the Sediments

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported an earthquake of magnitude 4.8 at IST 18 h 33 min and 29 sec on 28 August 2018. The epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Bengal Basin (lat. 22.6°N, long. 87.7°E) at a distance of ~67 km west of the city of Kolkata (Figure 1). Strong to moderate ground shaking was felt in the epicentral zone and in surrounding districts of East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram and Bankura. Given the moderate size of the event, there was neither loss of life nor cases of injury due to the earthquake. However, some buildings close to the epicentral region, developed cracks from the shaking.