A strong earthquake jolted New Delhi and several parts of northern India early Monday. The tremors sent residents of high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad running out of their homes.
The tremor struck at 5:36 am, and its epicentre was near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan at a depth of five kilometres, officials confirmed. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The area experiences minor seismic activity every two to three years, and was last hit by a 3.3-magnitude earthquake in 2015. The quake was accompanied by a loud noise, officials said.
Responding to the strong tremors that hit New Delhi and its neighbouring areas, Prime Minister Modi urged citizens to “remain calm and take precautionary measures.”
“Tremors were felt in Delhi and surrounding areas. “I appeal to everyone to remain calm, take precautions and be alert for possible aftershocks. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation,” he wrote in a tweet.
The tremors were felt across the National Capital Region and neighbouring states. Delhi Police tweeted, “We hope you are all safe in Delhi!” and advised citizens to use the emergency helpline number 112 if necessary.
Earlier on January 23, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck China’s Xinjiang at a depth of 80 km.
On January 11, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan, shaking the region.
Delhi, located 250 km from the seismically active Himalayan fault zone, experiences regular seismic activity from both Himalayan and local sources.
Previous significant tremors include a 3.5 magnitude earthquake on April 12, 2020, a 3.4 magnitude earthquake in northeast Delhi on May 10, 2020, and a 4.4 magnitude earthquake near Rohtak on May 29, 2020, followed by numerous aftershocks.
This intraplate region, located in seismic zone IV of the seismic zone map of India, faces a moderate to high risk of Himalayan earthquakes.
‘Everything was shaking’
At the New Delhi railway station, Anish, a shopkeeper, said, “Everything was shaking, customers started shouting.”
A passenger waiting for his train at the New Delhi railway station described the experience: “I was in the waiting room when everyone was running. It felt like a bridge or something had collapsed.”
Amit, a resident of Noida, said, “At 5.35 am, the entire building was shaking. Our entire family ran out of the house. I have never felt such strong tremors during an earthquake. We are all safe.”
A passenger waiting for a train at the New Delhi railway station said, “I was in the waiting room. Everyone was running from there. It felt like a bridge had collapsed.”
