Science TechnologyMonday, 17 August 2026·The Hindu - Science
Maharashtra earthquake swarm: 29 tremors in a fortnight, Nashik and Palghar most affected
An explained report in August 2026 said Maharashtra recorded 29 tremors in a fortnight, mostly around Nashik and Palghar, indicating an earthquake swarm.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In August 2026, Maharashtra reported 29 tremors in a fortnight, with 24 around Nashik, 4 in Palghar and 1 in Nagpur, and the strongest measured quake was magnitude 4.3 in Nagpur on August 8.
Key specifics
- Of the 29 tremors, 24 were in and around Nashik, 4 in Palghar and 1 in Nagpur.
- The strongest quake was magnitude 4.3, recorded in Nagpur on August 8, 2026.
- Seismologists described the pattern as an earthquake swarm, where there is no clear mainshock.
- Palghar had a major swarm from November 2018, with thousands of earthquakes for more than a year.
- Maharashtra lies on the Deccan Plateau, whose basaltic Deccan Traps formed around 66 million years ago.
Exam lens
Question type: Science and geography, key facts: earthquake swarm, 29 tremors, Nashik, Palghar, Nagpur, magnitude 4.3, August 8, 2026, Deccan Traps, 66 million years. TNPSC may ask the difference between a mainshock-aftershock sequence and an earthquake swarm.