Residents of Delhi-NCR and several parts of northern India were jolted early Monday morning as strong tremors shook high-rise buildings, prompting many to rush outdoors. Residents were terrified by the loud sound while the tremors were felt as they watched their buildings shake for a few seconds which lasted for 35 seconds. According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake, measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale, struck at 5:36 AM IST with its epicentre located within Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to raise concerns and urged residents to stay alert for any aftershocks. “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 said. The Dhaula Kuan area, which has a lake nearby, has been experiencing low-magnitude quakes once every two to three years. It recorded an earthquake of magnitude 3.3 in 2015.
Soon after the tremor, the Ministry of Earth Sciences warned the people of Delhi and surrounding areas of a possible “aftershock” hours after the city was rocked by a low magnitude but strong earthquake. Union Earth Sciences minister Dr Jitendra Singh has asked the people of Delhi to stay calm and exercise safety precautions and preparedness for the aftershocks. “Following the earthquake tremors felt this morning in and around Delhi at about 5:36 AM, the authorities are keeping a close watch and professional experts as well officials in the Ministry of Earth Sciences are constantly monitoring. However, it is advised to stay calm and exercise safety precautions and preparedness for possible aftershocks, if any. Meanwhile, regular updates are being shared by the department through its different communication channels and social media handles,” he wrote on X.
Several political leaders mentioned experiencing the earthquake tremors and prayed for everyone’s safety. The Delhi Police also wrote on X, saying, “We hope you all are safe, Delhi! For any emergency help, dial 112.”
According to NCS official, a loud sound was heard when the earthquake hit Delhi-NCR. The rumbling sound heard during the earthquake could have been the result of the earthquake’s shallow depth. It could have been due to movement in tectonic plates and several bursts of energy. Though a 4.0-magnitude quake is considered moderate, its impact felt stronger than usual because of its shallow depth and close proximity to densely populated areas. Earthquakes with epicentres within a city result in more intense shaking since seismic waves travel a shorter distance before reaching structures, amplifying the tremors.
The Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service did not receive any calls about untoward incidents during the earthquake but the sudden tremors sparked concern among residents.
Seismologists continue to monitor aftershocks and have advised citizens to stay informed about earthquake preparedness measures.
However, National Centre for Seismology Director OP Mishra said, “The epicentre was at Jheel Park in Dhaula Kuan, it was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake. It was in the depth of 5 km, it is called shallow depth, hence people felt the effect. People getting panicked was natural. Seismologically, it is not new region, earthquakes have happened earlier in the region. Earlier, there was 4.6 magnitude earthquake in 6 km periphery, but it was deeper, with 10 km depth. There is a difference. It was not a plate tectonic earthquake, it was due to in situ material heterogeneity, it was due to local effect. We can expect aftershock of around 1 or 1.2 magnitude.” He said the Dhaula Kuan region has witnessed 420 shallow earthquakes and the national capital has remained safe from such incidents for the past several years.
“The epicentre of Monday’s earthquake was at Jheel Park in Dhaula Kuan, it was a 4.0 magnitude earthquake. It was in the depth of 5 km, it is called shallow depth, hence people felt the effect,” Mishra said.
Srijan Pal Singh, the former advisor to the 11th President of India and founder of Kalam Centre and Homi lab, also explained the phenomenon on X. He said that the residents felt “bigger tremors than ever before” because the epicenter was in Delhi itself. “This is how quakes feel at the epicenter,” he said.
“The Delhi earthquake you just witnessed was around 4.0 on the Richter scale. That is not very high (quakes can go up to 6.0 and more) but you felt bigger tremors than ever before. Why? Because the epicenter is within Delhi itself. This is how quakes feel at the epicenter,” he wrote on X.
Delhi, which falls in Seismic Zone IV, is prone to moderate-to-strong earthquakes, making localised tremors more pronounced as the. Experts noted that buildings, particularly high-rises, sway more due to their design, increasing the perceived intensity of shaking. Delhi is placed in seismic zone IV in the seismic zoning map of India, the second highest in the country. The national capital region is exposed to moderate to high risk seismic activity due to Himalayan earthquakes such as the 7.5 magnitude Garhwal Himalaya quake in 1803, 6.8 magnitude Uttarkashi earthquake in 1991, 6.6 magnitude Chamoli earthquake in 1999, 7.8 magnitude Gorkha earthquake in 2015 and a few moderate earthquakes from the Hindukush region. Local earthquakes recorded in the region include 6.5 magnitude Delhi earthquake in 1720, 5 magnitude Mathura earthquake in 1842, 6.7 magnitude Bulandshahar earthquake in 1956 and 5.8 magnitude Moradabad earthquake in 1966.
