4.0 magnitude quake jolts Delhi; PM Modi alerts residents to brace for aftershocks

The National Center for Seismology in a post on X said the earthquake, with its epicentre in New Delhi, struck at a depth of five kilometres at 5:36 am.

Epicentre at Dhaula Kuan

The epicentre was near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan, an official told PTI.

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.

A loud sound was also heard when the earthquake hit, the official added.

Also read: Dam it! Tibet quakes ought to jolt Himalayan nations out of their egoism

Delhi Police offer help

In a post on X, Delhi Police urged residents to dial 112 for emergency situations.

"We hope you all are safe, Delhi!" the department’s post 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)'."

Felt like train came to screeching halt: Resident

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.

Also read: Japan’s ‘megaquake’ warning explained: What did experts, PM Fumio Kishida say?

A resident of a high-rise in Ghaziabad said the tremors were so strong that everyone rushed downstairs in panic.

PM asks residents to brace for aftershocks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to urge residents in Delhi and nearby areas to stay calm and follow safety precautions while keeping alert for possible 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 posted.

Atishi, Kejriwal pray for people’s safety

AAP leader Atishi said on X, "A strong earthquake just hit Delhi. I pray to God that everyone is safe." Resharing Atishi's post, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said he prayed for everyone's safety.

"Massive tremors were felt 10 minutes back in Delhi, woke us up from sleep. I hope and pray everyone is safe and sound," AICC national spokesperson Ragini Nayak said in a post on X.

Also read: The Rumbling Earth review: A chronicle of earthquakes in India through the ages

Why’s Delhi vulnerable to quakes?

The National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi is located about 250 kilometres from the seismically-active Himalayan collision zone and frequently experiences far- and near-field shaking due to Himalayan and local sources, respectively.

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.

Delhi is placed in Seismic Zone IV in the seismic zoning map of India. This intraplate region is exposed to moderate to high risk due to Himalayan earthquakes.