Jaipur, March 7 : Mild earthquake tremors were felt in parts of Rajasthan early Saturday morning after a low-intensity earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale struck near Sikar district, officials said.

According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake occurred at around 6.30 a.m. The epicentre was located approximately 69 km northwest of Jaipur at a shallow depth of about 5 km beneath the Earthâ??s surface.

Tremors were reported from several areas of Sikar district, with the strongest shaking felt in Khatushyamji, Palsana, Dhingpur and nearby localities. Residents said the tremors lasted for about one to two seconds.

In Palsana, locals reported that doors and windows rattled briefly, while some residents claimed to have heard unusual sounds during the tremor. However, authorities said the earthquake was minor in intensity, and no loss of life or damage to property has been reported so far.

Seismologists say shallow earthquakes, even of low magnitude, can sometimes be felt more prominently because the seismic waves travel a shorter distance to the surface.

About three months ago, the Bureau of Indian Standards released an updated seismic risk map of the country.

According to the revised classification, cities such as Jaipur, Alwar and Bhiwadi fall under relatively higher earthquake risk zones. Such zones indicate the possibility of earthquakes in the magnitude range of 5 to 6 on the Richter scale, which could potentially cause structural damage, particularly to older or poorly constructed buildings.

Although Sikar is not categorised under the highest risk zone, experts note that its proximity to Jaipur means the region can occasionally experience mild tremors.

Geologists also point to increasing human activity in the Aravalli Range region as a potential contributing factor. Large-scale construction, mining and tunnelling through hills are believed to weaken underground rock structures and may disturb existing fault lines, which could increase the likelihood of minor seismic activity in the area.

/IANS