JOIN USNepal tremors shake city
People in several multi-storey buildings rushed out in panic as the capital felt the tremors of the eathsquake that struck Nepal on Monday.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and several officials moved out of the Secretariat when the tremors were felt around 12.35 pm.
“Please do not panic and maintain calm. Earthquake situation is being closely monitored and officials are already in the field,” Kejriwal tweeted.
The tremors were felt for over 30 seconds in the city when the first quake hit the neighbouring country. Metro services stopped for over 10 minutes as a result and moved at a slow speed for the next half an hour.
“The intensity in Delhi ranged between IV-V MMI scale. Six aftershocks hit Nepal, of which the effect was felt in Delhi most prominently when the first aftershock hit Nepal. Some people, mostly in multi-storey buildings felt tremors here when the second aftershock hit Nepal. The aftershocks will continue for months now,” said J L Gautam, Director, Operations at the Centre for Seismology, Indian Meteorological Department. MMI scale or Modified Mercalli Intensity scale measures the intensity felt. The range of IV-V MMI scale indicates a moderate effect.
“I felt the tremors twice. I was sitting with my friends on the stairs of the Metro station and immediately went outside,” said Shivani, a teenager who ekes out a living by selling beads outside Janpath Metro station.
Several buildings in Connaught Place and Barakhamba Road were evacuated before office goers returned to work.
A group of office goers on Kasturba Gandhi Marg was heard discussing the need to stay calm.
“They do not realise that panic will lead to a stampede-like situation,” said a member of the group. M D Akhtar, who runs a soft drinks stall in Connaught Place, said, “I was scared as the tremor hit. I was glad I was in an open area.”
For some people, the initial reaction was “it was in their minds”.“I was in the library when I felt the tremors. But I looked around to confirm that other people were affected too. A few times since the last earthquake, I have been panicky. Soon, there were announcements that the building had to be evacuated and we were standing outside the building on KG Marg,” said Deepu Mukherjee.