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.

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.