Phuket quakes to be monitored

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) - Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC), under the supervision of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, announced Wednesday that it will keep staying on high alert for any further earthquake in the southern Andaman Phuket province. According to NDWV's adviser Rear Admiral Thaworn Charoendee, more than 40 tremors, including aftershocks, have been recorded in Phuket following a 4.3-magnitude earthquake striking the resort island on April 16, up to 13 of which were recorded above 2.0 on the Richter scale and the most recent one was reported at 04.15am Wednesday, at 3.2 on the Richter scale. Rear Admiral Thaworn said he believes that the situation in Phuket will return to normal soon, as the resort island is now less prone to earthquakes, both in tremor amplitude and frequency, urging local people to stay calm but to follow updates from NDWC. (TNA)