Tremors felt in Delhi, parts of North India as earthquake jolts Afghanistan| India News
Tremors were felt across Delhi and parts of north India after a strong earthquake struck Afghanistan, sending brief waves of panic among residents.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), an earthquake of upto 5.9 magnitude hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region and the Hindu Kush area on Friday. The quake occurred at a significant depth, with estimates ranging up to around 177 km, which often allows seismic waves to travel farther distances, which explains why tremors were felt across northern India.
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It is suspected that there could be damage to poorly-made buildings, however, there were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties.
Where was the epicentre
The earthquake’s epicentre was located near Darawan in Afghanistan, at Latitude 36.398 North and Longitude of 70.878 East.
Residents in Delhi-NCR and nearby regions reported feeling mild shaking, with some stepping out of homes and offices as a precaution. Mild earthquake tremors were experienced across other parts of north India as well, from Kashmir to Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The shaking, which was felt at around 9:46 pm, lasted only a few seconds. People in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad also felt tremors, reported Reuters.
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People in several areas said they noticed sudden vibrations, especially in multi-storey buildings. A resident in Chandigarh said he felt a noticeable jolt for a short duration, while another person living on a higher floor in Zirakpur said they considered stepping outside but the tremors subsided quickly, as per a PTI report.
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In a related development, the National Center for Seismology recorded a separate, smaller earthquake of magnitude 3.8 in Tibet at a shallow depth of 10 km. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, while further details from the affected regions in Afghanistan are awaited.
(With inputs from Reuters, PTI)
