Why Did Delhi Earthquake Feel So Strong Despite Low Magnitude?

The epicentre of the quake was in the Jheel Park area of Dhaula Kuan and there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook.

Delhi-NCR falls in Seismic Zone IV, making it prone to moderate to strong earthquakes.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

Earthquake In Delhi: A 4.0-magnitude struck Delhi, Noida and neighbouring areas with a rumbling early Monday morning. Despite falling in the moderate category, the tremors were strong enough to shake houses and forced people in several high-rise buildings in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad to rush out.

Residents shared how they "woke up for the first time without an alarm". A passenger awaiting his train at the New Delhi railway station recalled rushing out of the waiting lounge and feeling as if "some bridge had collapsed". Some expressed shock at the fact that despite being a 4.0 magnitude quake, the jolts felt pretty severe.

Experts said the impact of the earthquake felt stronger than usual because of its shallow depth and close proximity to densely populated areas. The epicentre of the quake was in the Jheel Park area of Dhaula Kuan and there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook.

The National Center for Seismology said the earthquake struck at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 am.

Shallow earthquakes, originating five or 10 kilometres below the surface, tend to cause more damage than those originating deep below the surface. Also, earthquakes with epicentres within a city result in more intense shaking since seismic waves travel a shorter distance.

Delhi-NCR falls in Seismic Zone IV, making it prone to moderate to strong earthquakes. Buildings, particularly high-rises, sway more due to their design, increasing the perceived intensity of shaking, the experts added.

CCTV footage from the terrace camera installed at a house in a Delhi locality showed wires and tank pipes moving with heavy intensity.