Delhi Earthquake: Strong tremors were felt in Delhi and its adjoining areas after a 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck the national capital this morning. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
A loud sound was heard and people ran out of their homes when the quake struck.
An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 hit Delhi-NCR at 5:36 am on Monday. The National Center for Seismology wrote on X that the epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 5 kilometers below the ground in Delhi. The intensity of this earthquake was recorded at 4.0 on the Richter scale.
The Delhi Police wrote on X, “We hope you all are safe. Dial 112 for emergency assistance.”
Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal wrote on X, “I pray for everyone’s safety.”
A passenger present at the New Delhi Railway Station told, “I was waiting for my train in the waiting lounge. Suddenly it felt as if something fell. Then the people present in the waiting lounge started running outside. Then I saw that nothing had happened. Someone told me that there was an earthquake. Then it felt as if a train fell from above or a bridge collapsed. It was felt for about 5-6 seconds.”
An official told that the epicentre was near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan. That region, which has a lake nearby, has been experiencing smaller, low-magnitude quakes once every two to three years. It recorded an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude in 2015, he said.
The official also added that a loud sound was heard when the earthquake hit Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the residents of Delhi and nearby areas to “stay calm” and follow safety precautions following the earthquake, which prompted people in the capital, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad to rush out of their homes.
“Tremors were felt in Delhi and nearby areas. Urging everyone to stay calm and follow safety precautions, staying alert for possible aftershocks. Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation,” he wrote in a post on X.
Acting Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said a “strong earthquake just hit” Delhi and prayed that everyone was safe.
Delhi is prone to earthquakes as it is located in a high seismic zone (zone IV) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seismic zonation map.
On January 23, strong tremors were felt across Delhi-NCR after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck China’s Xinjiang at a depth of 80 kilometres.
Two weeks before that, mild tremors were last felt in Delhi and nearby areas on January 11 after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan.
