What are Earthquake Lights, captured on camera by Delhi residents after tremors?

Delhi residents shared videos of what appeared to be earthquake lights after the tremors. (Image: Screengrabs from video @SorabhTiwari13/Twitter)

After sharp jolts rocked Delhi on the night of March 21, earthquake lights, a rare phenomenon was witnessed by people who shared videos of it on social media. Earthquake lights, also known as earthquake-induced electromagnetic emissions, are a mysterious and rare phenomenon that occur during or before an earthquake.

Delhi and neighbouring areas' residents witnessed the phenomenon after a late night 6.6 quake, with its epicenter in Afghanistan, sent people rushing out of their homes.

The tremors lasted over a minute and made fans and chandeliers swing rapidly putting people in panic mode.

After the tremors subsided, earthquake lights appeared in the sky.

EQL EARTHQUAKE LIGHTS seen in delhi, recieved via whatapp can't confirm it. But looks authentic.
Its luminous aerial phenomenon that appears in the sky at or near areas of tectonic stress, seismic activity.
Looks scary.. pic.twitter.com/cKQwXqKosU

— Sorabh Tiwari (@SorabhTiwari13) March 21, 2023

Can someone explain this phenomenon? It is happening in the sky in my city (Yamunanagar, India). Colors of sky keeps changing at this point. Looks a bit like Northern Light. Please note that there's been an earthquake in India just a few minutes ago, maybe it's related to that? pic.twitter.com/UlHaEWzmXh

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— Mikasa Art (@MikasaArt23) March 21, 2023

Earthquake Lights are often described as luminous spheres, flashes, or streaks of light that appear in the sky, on the ground, or even underwater. Despite being documented for centuries; scientists still don't fully understand the causes of these enigmatic lights.

The first recorded account of earthquake lights dates back to 373 BC, when the Greek philosopher Aristotle documented that "flames of fire" rose from the ground before an earthquake struck. Since then, there have been numerous reports of earthquake lights, including the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake in Italy, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, and the 2016 Ecuador earthquake.

Theories abound as to what causes earthquake lights, but none have been proven definitively. One popular theory suggests that the lights are caused by the release of electrical charges during an earthquake. As tectonic plates shift and rub against each other, they generate electrical charges that build up and are released as a burst of light.

Another theory suggests that the lights are caused by the piezoelectric effect. This occurs when certain minerals, such as quartz, are squeezed or compressed, generating an electrical charge that can produce a spark of light.

Yet another theory suggests that earthquake lights are caused by the interaction of seismic waves with the atmosphere. When seismic waves propagate through the earth's crust, they can cause changes in the atmosphere, creating electric fields that generate light.

Despite the numerous theories, researchers have had difficulty studying earthquake lights in a controlled setting. The phenomenon is unpredictable and rare, and scientists have yet to capture a reliable and consistent measurement of earthquake lights. However, researchers have made some progress in recent years, using seismological sensors and other equipment to capture images and video footage of earthquake lights.