Residents of Delhi-NCR, including Okhla, woke up to earthquake tremors today. Some even rushed out of their homes for safety. A report by Sajjad Askari.
According to the National Centre for Seismology, tremors were felt across North India, with Delhi as the epicenter. The earthquake, measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale, had a depth of just 5 km.
https://youtu.be/LZulzXxVVnw?si=jc0V04K-dD5Qc4Wx
So far, no injuries or casualties have been reported. However, many residents who woke up late only learned about the tremors through social media or phone calls from friends and relatives in other parts of the country checking on their well-being.
Several residents shared messages on social media and WhatsApp, including a one-minute clip of a rooftop visibly shaking as the tremors jolted the area.
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 prompted residents of several high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad to rush outside.
Those who woke up later only learned about the tremors afterward.
The epicentre was near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in south Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan, an official told news agency PTI, striking at a depth of five kilometres at 5.36 am, the National Centre for Seismology tweeted. The official said a loud sound was heard when the earthquake hit Delhi-NCR and the tremors lasted for 35 seconds.
“Delhi has been experiencing minor quakes. This quake occurred in Dhaula Kuan. In 2006, an earthquake of 4.6 magnitude had occurred there. There is nothing to worry about. It is a seismic zone there. After the 4.0 magnitude quake, the aftershock will be less by 1.2 magnitude. It is natural as it will heal it,” Dr OP Mishra, Director, National Centre for Seismology (NCS), told news agency ANI.
He said the Dhaula Kuan region has witnessed 420 shallow earthquakes and Delhi has remained safe from such incidents for the past several years.
"Nothing to worry, aftershock will heal it": National Centre of Seismology director on Delhi earthquake
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— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) February 17, 2025
Besides residents, political leaders in Delhi also took to social media to share their experiences of the tremors and expressed their prayers for everyone’s safety.
BJP leader Tajinder Singh Bagga posted, “Earthquake?”, while Congress leader Alka Lamba shared a similar message.
Caretaker Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said she prayed for everyone’s safety after the earthquake. “A strong earthquake just hit Delhi. I pray to God that everyone is safe,” she said.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal reshared tweet of Atishi and said: “I pray for the safety of everyone.”
Delhi-NCR falls within Seismic Zone IV, making it one of the more earthquake-prone regions in India. This classification means the national capital and its surrounding areas are at risk of experiencing moderate to strong tremors, highlighting the need for preparedness and resilient infrastructure.
(Askari is a journalism student at Jamia Hamdard)
