Earthquake Of 5.1 Magnitude On Richter Scale Hits Bay Of Bengal, Tremors Felt In Kolkata

Earthquake of 5.1 magnitude on the Richter Scale hit the Bay of Bengal, the tremors were also felt in West Bengal.

Kolkata is located in Seismic Zone III and faces a moderate risk of earthquakes.

Source : ANI

An earthquake of 5.1 magnitude, struck the Bay of Bengal and jolted early Tuesday morning, the tremors were felt in different regions of West Bengal including the capital Kolkata. According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at 6:10 am at a depth of 91 kilometres.

EQ of M: 5.1, On: 25/02/2025 06:10:25 IST, Lat: 19.52 N, Long: 88.55 E, Depth: 91 Km, Location: Bay of Bengal.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 25, 2025

There was no report of any loss of properties or casualty so far, a senior official of the Odisha revenue department said, adding that the impact of the earthquake was "negligible" as its centre was in the Bay of Bengal, as per a PTI report.

According to IANS, shallow earthquakes, occurring at depths of five to ten kilometres, tend to cause more significant damage as compared to those that originate within the crust. 

Kolkata is located in Seismic Zone III and faces a moderate risk of earthquakes. However, it is not as vulnerable to major seismic activity as other regions like Northeast India, the Himalayas or Gujarat. The city occasionally experiences tremors from nearby seismic events in the Bay of Bengal, Nepal, or Northeast India.

On Tuesday, a moderate earthquake occurred at a greater depth which helped lessen the intensity of tremors felt on the surface.

Panic spread among the residents, but there were no reports of damage or casualties.

Last week, a 4.0-magnitude struck Delhi, Noida and neighbouring areas with a rumbling. 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. Experts said the impact of the earthquake felt stronger than usual because of its shallow depth and close proximity to densely populated areas. 

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.