4.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Delhi-NCR

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck Delhi-NCR on Thursday morning, with the epicentre in Jhajjar, Haryana. Tremors were widely felt across the region, prompting people to rush outdoors. No casualties or damage have been reported so far, officials said.

New Delhi: Strong tremors from an earthquake were felt across Delhi-NCR on Thursday, causing panic among residents in the National Capital, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and other nearby areas.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake was measured to be of 4.4 magnitude on the Richter scale. The epicentre was reported to be in Jhajjar, Haryana.

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The tremors were felt around 9.04 am and lasted for a minute. The strong tremors sparked panic as people rushed outside their offices and homes. No casualties or damage have been reported so far, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

Following the quake, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) issued an advisory, urging people to follow the ‘dos and don’ts’ to ensure their and their family’s safety before, during and after an earthquake.

While details of the quake and its effect are awaited, netizens in the Delhi-NCR claimed it to be “the longest earthquake” they have felt in a “very long time.”

Speaking to IANS, a Noida resident said, “It was a very strong earthquake, and we were all terrified. But thankfully, it didn’t last long.” “There were strong jolts. We were very scared. We just ran outside,” another told IANS. “I could see the fan moving. We immediately ran out of our houses,” a Delhi resident told IANS. “I was working on my laptop when I felt the chair moving. Then I looked at the fan, and it was also moving. I quickly ran out of my home,” a local of Delhi said.

Although no earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher have occurred near New Delhi in the past decade, small to moderate tremors do happen occasionally. A minor earthquake of 2.3 magnitude with an epicentre in South East Delhi struck on June 8. No damage or casualties were reported during this. In February this year, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre in Dhaula Kuan caused strong tremors across Delhi-NCR.

In April, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush. The tremors were also felt in Delhi. No loss of life was reported. The strongest earthquake recorded in Delhi’s history was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake on August 27, 1960.