Earthquake of Magnitude 3.4 Hits Delhi and Adjoining Areas on Lazy Sunday

Map of Delhi Showing Earthquake Hit Location on May 10, 2020
Map of Delhi depicting location which is hit by earthquake on May 10, 2020
Map of Delhi Showing Earthquake Hit Location on May 10, 2020
Map of Delhi depicting location which is hit by an earthquake on May 10, 2020

National capital Delhi and its adjacent areas felt a medium-intensity earthquake of magnitude 3.4 on the Richter scale and its epicentre was in Wazirpur, northeast Delhi on Sunday afternoon. The location had felt tremors of magnitude 3.5 on April 12 also while on the next day another low-intensity quake of magnitude 2.7 on the Richter scale had occurred. So, this is the third earthquake in a month in Delhi amid the nationwide lockdown.

No casualty in today’s Delhi quake

Today’s quake took place at a depth of five kilometres. However, no loss of life and property has been reported so far. A panic like situation occurred in many places, and many people came out from their houses in nervousness despite the lockdown. The internet services remained disturbed at Okhla for a brief period. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying he is “praying for everyone’s safety”.

Past records of Delhi’s earthquake

While the number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing alarmingly in Delhi and other parts of the country, the third earthquake in a month has shocked the people of Delhi. The national capital has frequently felt the tremor of an earthquake. In 2004, an earthquake of magnitude 2.8 was recorded in Delhi while another quake-hit Delhi with the intensity of 3.4 on Richter scale in 2001. 

Major earthquakes near Delhi

Several major earthquakes in the past had occurred in the adjacent cities of Delhi such as the earthquake that hit Bulandshahr of magnitude 6.7 on October 10, 1956, while another quake was recorded at Moradabad of magnitude 5.8 on August 15, 1966. Both the cities come under western Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi comes under zone IV

There are four seismic zones in India – Zone II, III, IV, V. Delhi comes under zone IV. Zone V is considered as the most active earthquake-prone area, and zone II is the least active.

Delhi is always at the risk of experiencing earthquakes, but the epicentre of the quake is rarely in Delhi. However, the epicentre of the last three quakes was in Delhi, which is alarming.