Delhi's Earthquake: Why Is National Capital Prone To Tremors?

Strong tremors shook Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) early on Monday.

An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck the national capital at around 5:36 am, with a depth of just 5 km, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

Delhi was the epicentre of the quake, which was also felt in neighbouring areas such as Noida and Ghaziabad.

Although the earthquake's magnitude was relatively low, people still reported feeling "strong" and "violent" tremors, sharing their reactions and experiences on the social media platform X.

Why So Many Earthquakes in Delhi?

Experiencing earthquakes is not uncommon in Delhi. The national capital had a similar occurrence just last month when an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck Nepal's Kathmandu, but its tremors were also felt in Delhi-NCR.

According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the frequency of earthquakes around Delhi may be linked to the Delhi-Haridwar Ridge, a "major geological structure."

India is divided into several seismic zones indicating the frequency of earthquakes in each region. Delhi lies in Zone IV, which the DDMA classifies as having "fairly high seismicity." This makes Delhi a "high-risk area" for earthquakes.

Typically, earthquakes in Delhi range from magnitude 5 to 6. However, an earthquake of magnitude 7 to 8 is considered an "occasional" event.

Since 1720, only five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 5.5 to 6.7 have been recorded in Delhi or its surrounding areas. The Delhi-Haridwar Ridge and the Delhi-Moradabad Fault are two major geological features that pass through Delhi, making it more susceptible to earthquakes.

"Both have the potential of generating earthquakes of magnitude up to MSK VIII, which is quite probable in the Delhi territory," says the DDMA.

Several other weak zones and faults are located near Delhi, such as the Mahendragarh-Dehradun subsurface fault, Moradabad fault, Sohna fault, Great Boundary Fault, Delhi-Sargodha Ridge, Yamuna River lineament, and Ganga River lineament, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

Delhi's proximity to the seismically active Himalayas also contributes to its vulnerability to tremors.

The classification of regions into seismic zones is based on "subjective estimates of intensity from available information on earthquake occurrence, geology, and tectonics of the country," and this process is ongoing, with updates based on new data.