Why Did Delhi Earthquake Feel So Strong Despite Low Magnitude?
Despite falling in the moderate category, the tremors were strong enough to shake houses and forced people in several high-rise buildings in Delhi and Noida.
Delhi-NCR woke up to strong tremors on Wednesday as a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck the region. 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.
People who reported to work felt the strong tremors, while some who had morning tea were shaken.
#WATCH | An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter Scale hit Jhajjar, Haryana at 9.04 am IST today. Strong tremors felt in Delhi-NCR.
— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2025
A man in Gurugram, Haryana says, "We were sitting here and having tea when I suddenly felt strong earthquakes. I told everyone to rush… pic.twitter.com/793bYk4iH9
Experts said the impact of the earthquake felt stronger than usual because of its shallow depth. The National Centre for Seismology said the earthquake struck at a focal depth of 10 kilometres in Haryana's Jhajjar around 9 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.
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