At 10:25 PM on November 28, a strong tremor shook the dormitory area of the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Duc District), causing panic among over 7,000 students residing there.
According to eyewitness accounts, the tremor lasted for about 20 seconds, causing computers and furniture to shake violently, especially in the upper floors. Many students recounted feeling terrified even after the earthquake had passed: “Everyone was studying when we felt the tables and chairs shaking, thinking it was a prank. But when we saw the computers shaking too, we realized it was an earthquake.”
The earthquake prompted thousands of students living in the dormitory of the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City to rush out of their rooms, seeking to get to safety, which further escalated the chaos. Reports indicate that two female students fainted from fear immediately after exiting their rooms.
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At the Vietnam National University dormitory in Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Duc District), thousands of students gathered to discuss the event, with many too frightened to return to their rooms. (Photo: VNN) |
Following the tremor, thousands of students gathered to talk about the incident, and many remained too shaken to return to their rooms. Nevertheless, the dormitory management was able to persuade students to go back shortly afterward.
Immediately after receiving reports, the Institute of Geophysics announced that the earthquake measured between 4.5 and 5 on the Richter scale and occurred in the waters off Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan, affecting coastal areas at levels 4-5 and inland areas at levels 3-4.
According to the Tuoi Tre newspaper, at 10:15 PM on November 28, residents in central Ho Chi Minh City felt a strong shaking that made buildings sway. Many residents in apartment complexes rushed out of their homes due to their previous experiences with earthquakes.
Residents of the Post Office apartment complex (District 10) felt their homes shaking vigorously. Having experienced an earthquake before, they quickly evacuated their homes. By 10:30 PM, everyone was still hesitant to return inside, gathering in hallways and downstairs.
Even in the Tuoi Tre newsroom in Phu Nhuan District, we clearly felt the tremor. Some readers from District 1, District 5, District 12, Go Vap, Tan Binh, Hoc Mon, and Thu Duc also reported feeling the shaking, even while on the first floor.
Mr. Tran Thanh An, Director of the Vietnam National University dormitory in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that residents in the dormitory felt the shaking clearly for about 3 to 4 seconds. Students rushed out into the courtyard, but having witnessed an earthquake last year, they were not overly panicked. Two female students from buildings A8 and A11 fainted during the commotion but regained consciousness shortly after.
In central apartment complexes such as on Tran Nhat Duat Street (District 1), the Doan Van Bo apartment complex (District 4), and Nguyen Van Dau apartment complex (Binh Thanh), residents also felt 3 to 4 distinct tremors.
As Ho Chi Minh City was in a state of frenzy due to the earthquake, at 10:22 PM, a call from a Tuoi Tre correspondent on Phu Quy Island in Binh Thuan reported that residents on the island had just felt strong shaking in their homes and were panicking to get outside. A business owner in the Ngũ Phụng market, the island’s center, reported that his ground-level house also shook, prompting him and his wife to rush outside.
Reader Phan Anh Tuan from Vung Tau wrote: “At around 8:20 PM tonight, an earthquake occurred in Vung Tau. We could clearly feel the shaking of the house and doors. While the epicenter and intensity are still unknown, I estimate it to be around 5 on the Richter scale based on the level of shaking. After the tremor, people were somewhat agitated, with many running outside to ask each other about it. Despite the worry, everyone calmed down and returned home late at night.”
Reader Hoang Thi Ngoan wrote: “At around 10:18 PM, an earthquake occurred in Phan Thiet city and Lagi town in Binh Thuan Province. There were two strong, rapid tremors lasting about 15 seconds, shaking houses and buildings.”
Reports from Nha Trang also indicated that residents clearly felt the earthquake, especially in high-rise buildings.
