Shallow earthquake jolts Delhi, NCR; PM Modi says stay calm, alert for possible aftershocks

The epicentre was near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan.

New Delhi: Strong tremors were felt in the national capital and adjoining regions as an earthquake of 4.0 magnitude struck the region early on Monday.

There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people in the region to stay calm and follow safety precautions while keeping alert for possible aftershocks.

Modi said in a post on X, "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."

The epicentre of the quake was in the Jheel Park area of Dhaula Kuan and there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook.

The National Center for Seismology said the earthquake struck at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 am.

Shallow earthquakes, originating five or 10 kilometres below the surface, tend to cause more damage than those originating deep below the surface.

The Jheel Park region has been experiencing smaller, low-magnitude quakes once every two to three years. It recorded an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude in 2015, an official said.

In a post on X, the Delhi Police said, "We hope you all are safe, Delhi!"

It also urged citizens to call on the emergency 112 helpline for emergencies.

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)'."

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.

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

AAP leader Atishi said on X, "A strong earthquake just hit Delhi. I pray to God that everyone is safe."

Resharing her 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.

Delhi is located about 250 kilometres from the seismically-active Himalayan collision zone and experiences shaking frequently from far- and near-field earthquakes.

The national capital is placed in Seismic Zone IV in the seismic zoning map of India, the second highest in the country.

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.

Haryana also reported minor earthquakes in 2022-23.