New Delhi: On Tuesday, strong tremors jolted Delhi and other parts of North India as Nepal was struck by a series of earthquakes. Within a span of just an hour, Nepal experienced four earthquakes, with magnitudes of 4.6, 6.2 (the most powerful), 3.8, and 3.1. The initial quake occurred at 2.25 PM IST, followed by another at 3.19 PM IST. Additionally, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook Arunachal Pradesh at 3.27 PM IST, and a 3.3 magnitude disturbance was reported in Uttarakhand shortly afterward.
The epicenter of the strongest earthquake, measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, was located 206 kilometers southeast of Joshimath in Uttarakhand and 284 kilometers north of Lucknow.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) provided details of the earthquake on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Earthquake of Magnitude: 6.2, Occurred on 03-10-2023, 14:51:04 IST, Lat: 29.39 & Long: 81.23, Depth: 5 Km, Location: Nepal.”
Earthquake of Magnitude:6.2, Occurred on 03-10-2023, 14:51:04 IST, Lat: 29.39 & Long: 81.23, Depth: 5 Km ,Location:Nepal for more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/rBpZF2ctJG @ndmaindia @KirenRijiju @Indiametdept @Dr_Mishra1966 @Ravi_MoES pic.twitter.com/tOduckF0B9
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) October 3, 2023
The tremors were strongly felt in Delhi and the surrounding national capital region. Consequently, residents evacuated office buildings, and videos of people rushing out of structures flooded social media. The Delhi Police issued a statement advising everyone to evacuate buildings and find a safe location, emphasizing the importance of not using elevators during such situations.
Tremors were also reported in 30 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Hapur, and Amroha. Among the districts bordering Nepal, five of them experienced the tremors. Parts of Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and other northern regions of India also felt the tremors, according to news agency PTI.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of damage, injuries, or fatalities in Nepal thus far. This seismic activity is a stark reminder that Nepal lies within one of the world’s most active tectonic zones (Seismic Zone IV and V), rendering it highly susceptible to earthquakes. In April 2015, Nepal experienced a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people and left over 21,000 injured.