‘Felt like a train has come with a very high speed’: Passengers at New Delhi railway station recall earthquake horror
NEW DELHI: A 4.0 magnitude earthquake jolted areas of Delhi-NCR in the early hours of Monday, according to the National Center for Seismology.
The tremors, which originated in New Delhi at a depth of five kilometres, were recorded at 5.36am, as stated in their X platform update.
An official informed that the earthquake’s epicentre was located near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan.
The official noted that this area, featuring a nearby lake, experiences minor seismic activity every two to three years. A previous earthquake of 3.3 magnitude was documented in this region in 2015.
The official further mentioned that the seismic event was accompanied by an audible sound.
A passenger awaiting his train at New Delhi railway station says, “It was for a lesser time, but the intensity was so high. It felt like any train has come with a very high speed.”
Another passenger awaiting his train at New Delhi railway station said, “We felt as if any train was running here underground. Everything was shaking.”
“I was in the waiting lounge. All rushed out from there. It felt as if some bridge had collapsed, ” said a passenger waiting for his train at New Delhi Railway Station.
At New Delhi Railway Station, vendor Anish recalled the terrifying moments, saying, “Everything was shaking… Customers started screaming.”
Delhi’s seismic vulnerability: Proximity to Himalayan faults poses ongoing risk
The National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi sits approximately 250 kilometres away from the seismically active Himalayan collision zone. The region regularly experiences tremors from both distant Himalayan sources and nearby local origins.
The area witnessed significant seismic activity in 2020, with a 3.5-magnitude earthquake on April 12 and a 3.4-magnitude event on May 10 in northeast Delhi. Additionally, a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck near Rohtak, about 50 kilometres west of Delhi, on May 29, followed by numerous aftershocks. These events caused considerable alarm among the area’s dense population.
According to India’s seismic zoning map, Delhi falls within Seismic Zone IV. This intraplate region faces substantial seismic risks, primarily due to its proximity to the Himalayan earthquake sources.
