Delhi: Caretakers of Jheel Park in Dhaula Kuan claimed that the 4.0-magnitude earthquake this morning uprooted a 20-25-year-old tree at the park. While reports of no major destructions from Delhi-NCR surfaced earlier, the video of the uprooted tree has now gone viral. A 4.0-magnitude earthquake hit Delhi/NCR at 5:36 am on Monday, the National Center for Seismology stated. Strong Tremors lasting a few seconds were felt across the national capital and surrounding areas, causing panic among people who fled their homes. The epicentre of the earthquake was in Dhaula Kuan, which falls under a seismic zone.
Director of the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Dr OP Mishra assured Delhi residents that there is nothing to worry about as aftershocks. He said these aftershocks are usually of lesser magnitude and are "natural".
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"Delhi has been experiencing minor earthquakes. This earthquake occurred in Dhaula Kuan. In 2007, an earthquake of 4.7 magnitude had occurred there. There is nothing to worry about. It is a seismic zone there," Mishra added.
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4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Delhi
Panic spread quickly as the ground trembled beneath people. Vendors and commuters were caught off-guard at the New Delhi Railway Station. A vendor Anish said, “Everything was shaking. Customers started screaming.” A passenger awaiting his train at the city’s busiest railway station said, “We felt as if any train was running here underground. Everything was shaking.”
Why 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Felt Intense?
According to geologists, Delhi-NCR lies in Zone-4, a high-risk seismic zone. The city is perched perilously amidst fault lines, positioning it close to the tectonic boundaries. This may be the reason why even a 4.0 magnitude earthquake felt so intense. This volatile location implies that it can experience tremors up to 7.9 magnitudes, causing immeasurable destruction. The city, resting around 250 kilometers from the Himalayan region, is inherently vulnerable as it’s situated between two seismic hotspots.
The tectonic plates beneath Delhi-NCR are always in motion. Enormous stress builds up as these plates push against each other, leading to seismic crimes at the surface. Given this reality, questions about preparedness and building resilience against potential quakes often spirally into the forefront of discussions.