New Delhi: Strong tremors jolted Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday morning (July 10) after a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Jhajjar in Haryana. The earthquake, which hit at 9:04 am at a shallow depth of 10 km, caused panic among residents in several parts of Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and even towns in western Uttar Pradesh.
In multiple neighbourhoods, residents rushed out of their homes as fans, lights and other fixtures began to sway. Office-goers in Noida and Gurugram reported computer screens shaking and chairs rolling, with many stepping out as a precaution.
Here are some visuals shared by social media users:
NDRF Issues Advisory
People across Delhi and NCR took to social media within minutes of the tremors, sharing their experiences and noting how long the quake seemed to last. Tremors were also reported in Meerut and Shamli, around 200 km from the epicentre.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) issued an advisory urging people not to panic. The agency advised residents to take the stairs and avoid lifts if exiting buildings, and asked drivers to stop at open spaces rather than continuing on the road.
Earthquakes are not uncommon in Delhi due to its location in Seismic Zone 4, an area classified as high risk. The capital lies near several active fault lines including the Delhi-Haridwar Ridge, Sohna Fault, Delhi-Moradabad Fault, and the Mahendragarh-Dehradun Fault.
According to reports, Delhi, since 1720, has experienced at least five significant earthquakes measuring above 5.5 on the Richter scale. According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), “Seismicity around Delhi appears to be associated with a major geological structure, which is known as the Delhi-Hardwar Ridge… extending beneath the alluvial plains of the Ganga basin towards the Himalayan mountain.”
