On January 26, 2020, a moderate-sized earthquake ($M_{L}$ ${\sim}$ 4.6) located in the Palnadu sub-basin of Cuddapah basin was felt both in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The earthquakes prior and after the $M_{L}$ 4.6 are located close to the thrust and along the periphery of the backwaters of the Pulichintala Reservoir. About 965 earthquakes in the magnitude range of 0.1–4.6 $M_{L}$ have been located by seismological network. The epicentral parameters obtained from double difference technique illuminated a steep seismogenic structure extending up to 8 km depth using a minimum 1-D velocity model. The b-value estimate is 0.82 for a completeness magnitude of $M_{c}$ 1.8 and could be associated with the intraplate event having a longer recurrence time. The focal mechanism solution obtained from waveform inversion reveals a pure double-couple mechanism of a strike-slip motion with a reverse component on a N–S trending focal plane. The spatial distribution of the earthquake sequence and fault plane solution of the main event are close to a thrust which is the most likely source region of the main-shock.

$\bf{Highlights}$

$\bullet$ Relocation of the Palnadu earthquake sequence illuminated a steep seismogenic structure extending up to 8 km depth.

$\bullet$ The estimated lower b-value (0.82) could be associated with the intraplate event having a longer recurrence time.

$\bullet$ The focal mechanism solution of the main-shock ($M_{L}$ 4.6) shows a strike-slip motion with a reverse component.