An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck Delhi early Monday morning, shaking the capital at 5:36 am. The epicenter of the tremor was located beneath Jheel Park in Dhaula Kuan, around 10 km southwest of the Red Fort. The National Center for Seismology (NCS) conducted an in-depth analysis, revealing that the shallow depth of the earthquake, combined with the intensity of 4.0, led to the strong tremors felt across the city.
The earthquake’s epicenter, recorded by over 30 broadband seismic stations set up by NCS, was situated along a northwest-southeast trending lineament, which is considered a highly favorable location for seismic activity due to its structural heterogeneity. The report from the NCS suggests that the variation in subsurface geological structures contributed to stress accumulation, which eventually caused the rupture along this lineament.
The NCS also highlighted the region’s seismic history, noting a previous earthquake of magnitude 4.6 that occurred south of the current epicenter on December 25, 2007. The proximity of these two events supports the theory that there were pre-existing stress conditions in the area that led to the recent earthquake.
The earthquake was caused by normal faulting, which corroborates the idea of hydro fracturing as the main cause of seismic activity. Two regional faults, the Mathura Fault and Sohna Fault, are also in close proximity to the epicenter, which may have influenced the recent event.
Tremors of maximum intensity IV (on the MMI scale) were recorded at the epicenter, while intensity III was observed at a distance of up to 15 km. In addition to the strong shaking, residents also reported hearing loud noises as the seismic waves interacted with the air due to the shallow depth of just 5 km.
The NCS further explained that the signature of the earthquake is consistent with prior events, with the energy release in the source zone being in line with the 2007 earthquake. The intensity and shallowness of the tremor led to the sharp, noticeable shaking across Delhi, making it one of the most significant earthquakes to impact the city in recent years.
Though the earthquake caused a significant amount of disturbance, the damage reported so far remains limited. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and studying the geological factors that contributed to this event, ensuring that Delhi remains prepared for future seismic activity.
Sources By Agencies
