4.0 magnitude quake jolts Delhi, strong tremors felt across region
4.0 magnitude quake jolts Delhi, strong tremors felt across region
Blog Article
The National Centre for Seismology said the earthquake struck at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 am, and there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook
STRONG tremors were felt in the national capital and adjoining regions as an earthquake of 4.0 magnitude struck the region early on Monday (17).
There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
The epicentre of the quake was in the Jheel Park area of Dhaula Kuan and there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook.
The National Centre for Seismology said the earthquake struck at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 am.
Shallow earthquakes, originating five or 10 kilometres below the surface, tend to cause more damage than those originating deep below the surface.
The Jheel Park region has been experiencing smaller, low-magnitude quakes once every two to three years. It recorded an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude in 2015, an official said.
The strong tremors triggered by the earthquake prompted residents of several high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad to rush out of their homes.
A woman in her 50s who was out on a morning walk in E Block of Noida Sector 20 said, “‘Hum log bahar park me walk kar rahe the toh pata nahin chala. Lekin kafi tej tha. Log bahar aa gaye. (We were walking in the park, so we didn’t feel it strongly. But it was quite strong. People came rushing out)’.”
Visuals from PTI Videos showed people waiting outside their homes across Delhi-NCR, fearful of any aftershock.
Naresh Kumar, a resident of West Delhi, said this was the first time that he had experienced such a strong tremor.
Ratanlal Sharma, who was waiting at New Delhi railway station for a train to Prayagraj, said he was at the platform when he felt a sudden jolt. “It felt like a train suddenly came to a screeching halt,” he said.
A resident of a high-rise in Ghaziabad said the tremors were so strong that everyone rushed downstairs in panic.
Delhi is located about 250 kilometres from the seismically-active Himalayan collision zone and experiences shaking frequently from far- and near-field earthquakes.
The national capital is placed in Seismic Zone IV in the seismic zoning map of India, the second highest in the country.
A 3.5-magnitude quake on April 12, 2020 and a 3.4-magnitude one on May 10, 2020, in northeast Delhi and a 4.4-magnitude earthquake on May 29, 2020, near Rohtak (about 50 kilometres west of Delhi), followed by more than a dozen aftershocks, sparked panic in the densely populated habitat.
Haryana also reported minor earthquakes in 2022-23.
Prime minister Narendra Modi urged people in the region to stay calm and follow safety precautions while keeping alert for possible aftershocks.
In a post on X, the Delhi police urged citizens to call on the emergency 112 helpline for emergencies. (PTI)