They had experienced five earth tremours for this month  

• A team of geologists carried  out an inspection of the area and installed a Richter scale

By Nishantha Kumara  

Another earth tremor had been experienced in Ekiriya, Komarika and Viyaluwa areas in the Badulla District, in the early hours of yesterday. Residents of the area said they experienced five earth tremours for this month.

The earth tremor had been felt by people in several villages including Ekiriya, Egodagama, Aluthwatta, who were woken up by the deafening noise similar to a fall of a huge rock.   

Meanwhile a team of geologists of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau carried out an inspection of the area and installed a Richter scale.   

However the residents of the area were of the opinion that gem mining had been going on unchecked in the area for more than three decades and that large scale gem mines dug up deep into the earth could have been the cause of tremors. They said they were living in constant fear of any possible disaster and requested the authorities to carry out research to find the cause.    

• Gem mining had been going on unchecked in the area for more than three  decades