On Monday morning, residents of North India experienced strong tremors, starting with a 4.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Delhi-NCR around 5:30 am, followed by tremors in Bihar at around 8 am. These shaking movements were felt most intensely by people living in high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, causing many to rush out of their homes in alarm.
The first tremor in Delhi occurred at around 5:30 am, with its epicenter near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan, about five kilometers underground.
According to the officials, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or damage. However, the intensity of the tremors left many wondering why they felt so strong, despite the earthquake being only of moderate magnitude (4.0 on the Richter scale).
Epicentre in Delhi
The main reason the tremors were so noticeable in Delhi-NCR was the earthquake's epicentre being located very close to the city. Seismic waves tend to be most powerful at the point of origin, and as they travel outward, their energy decreases, causing weaker shaking further away from the epicentre. Since the tremor’s source was located in the Jheel Park area near Dhaula Kuan, the shaking was much more pronounced, especially for those living nearby. In fact, some residents even reported hearing a loud noise as the ground moved beneath them.
Shallow Depth
Another contributing factor was the shallow depth of the earthquake, which was only about five kilometers below the surface. Shallow earthquakes typically cause stronger tremors compared to deeper ones, as the seismic waves have less distance to travel before reaching the surface. For cities like Delhi, which are densely populated, the effects are amplified because the seismic waves travel a relatively short distance to reach buildings. These waves then cause intense shaking, particularly in structures that are tall or close together, as they are more vulnerable to swaying.
High-rise Buildings
The Delhi-NCR area is home to many high-rise buildings, which, while modern, can be more sensitive to seismic activity due to their height and construction style. When an earthquake occurs nearby, the motion tends to be more pronounced in tall buildings, leading to a stronger feeling of the tremors for those inside.
Delhi lies within seismic Zone IV, which has a fairly high risk of earthquakes. Seismic zones are used to categorize areas based on their likelihood of experiencing significant seismic activity, with Zone V being the most active. Delhi's classification indicates that while most earthquakes in the region tend to be in the 5-6 magnitude range, larger quakes of magnitude 6-7, or even 7-8, can occasionally occur. This places Delhi among the higher-risk areas for seismic activity.
The city’s susceptibility to earthquakes can be traced back to its location within an active seismic zone, closely situated near the Himalayas, one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Additionally, several major fault lines run near Delhi, including the Delhi-Haridwar ridge, Mahendragarh-Dehradun fault, Moradabad fault, Sohna fault, and the Yamuna River lineament, all of which contribute to the area’s vulnerability to earthquakes.
Hence, the strong tremors felt across Delhi-NCR on Monday morning were due to a combination of factors, including the proximity of the earthquake’s epicentre, its shallow depth, and the region’s susceptibility to seismic activity.
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