Why Delhi NCR gets frequent tremors: ‘Faults’ and earthquake zones, explained
Being a 'high-risk area' means earthquakes in Delhi and surroundings can go up to magnitude 5-6; on Thursday, the magnitude was 4.4
Tremors originating from Jhajjar (Haryana) in Delhi NCR shook the region on Thursday morning. The region experiences frequent tremors as it falls in Seismic Zone IV, the most vulnerable as per the division in India, meaning it has “fairly high seismicity”.
Being a “high-risk area” thus means earthquakes in Delhi and surroundings can go up to magnitude 5-6. On Thursday, the magnitude was 4.4.
An earthquake of magnitude 7-8 is an “occasional” occurrence in Delhi.
Data available from the year 1720 says only five quakes of magnitude 5.5 to 6.7 have been recorded in Delhi or surrounding areas in this period.
The Delhi-Haridwar Ridge and Delhi-Moradabad Fault are two major lineaments that pass through Delhi and make it more sensitive to earthquakes.
Delhi's earthquake dangers: Hills nearby, faults underground
Several other weak zones and faults near Delhi include the Mahendragarh-Dehradun Subsurface Fault, the Sohna Fault, Great Boundary Fault, Delhi-Sargodha Ridge, Yamuna river lineament and Ganga river lineament, among others, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
Delhi's proximity to the Himalayas, which are seismically very active, also makes it prone to tremors.
The classification of areas into seismic zones is based on “subjective estimates of intensity from available information on earthquake occurrence, geology and tectonics of the country” and is a continuous process which is subject to change as more information becomes available, according to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
Also read: Delhi-NCR tremors trigger meme fest
On Thursday, July 10, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said the earthquake had a depth of 10 km and was recorded at 9:04 am.
Apart from Delhi, tremors were also felt in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad in the National Capital Region, apart from parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana where the epicentre was.
The situation generated black humour and radical suggestions as social media users shared memes. On X, an individual wrote, “People are rushing to Twitter to confirm about the earthquake in Delhi.”
Another suggested: “The capital of India should be shifted from New Delhi.”
“It was like some horror movie demon shaking the bed,” said another.
