Officials confirmed an earthquake after a loud sound rattled windows and scared residents in south and southwest Bengaluru. It remained unclear whether the sound was a sonic boom. Hundreds of people took to social media around 12.15 p.m. to share their experiences with the sound.
Many people experienced shaking windows all around the city. Theories ranged from a transformer blow to an earthquake. According to officials from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, their broadband seismograph has not detected any earthquakes.
“Within a 10-kilometer radius, the seismograph can capture ground vibrations, even those caused by a quarry. According to what we’ve heard, the sound isn’t related to an earthquake because no ground vibrations have been documented “a senior official stated.
After a preliminary investigation, police ruled out the idea of an explosion being the source of the noise. “We don’t have any clear information at this time. However, based on previous experience, it appears to be a sonic boom.”
This is the third time in Bengaluru that such an incident has occurred.
The first instance occurred in 2018 when residents in several sections of south Bengaluru reported hearing the sound. The mystery surrounding the second boom, which occurred in May 2020, was solved late at night when the Defence Department confirmed that it was caused by a sonic boom.
The sound, according to a department official, was not created by Air Force planes on Friday. “We have been told that none of the aircraft of ASTE were flying at that time,” the spokesperson said.
