NEW DELHI: The National Capital Region (NCR) has witnessed 446 earthquakes between 1993 and 2025, with epicentres located within 50 km of Monday’s tremor or within neighboring NCR states. According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the magnitude 4.0 quake felt more intense due to its shallow depth of just 5 km.
Seismic Activity in the Region
Over the past three decades, earthquakes ranging from magnitude 1.1 (minor) to 4.6 (medium intensity) have been recorded. The strongest, measuring 4.6, occurred on November 25, 2007, just 6 km northwest of Monday’s epicentre.
The NCS received 191 reports from residents across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh within an hour of the latest quake. The intensity ranged from II to III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, with some areas near the epicentre reporting intensity IV.
Why Did the Earthquake Occur?
Unlike earthquakes triggered by tectonic plate movements, Monday’s tremor was caused by “normal faulting,” a process where stress accumulation—due to gas or water pressure—leads to fractures in the base rock.
The epicentre was identified as 5 km beneath a lake bed in Jheel Park, near Dhaula Kuan. While the Mathura and Sohna fault lines are nearby, this quake was not linked to them but rather to structural weak zones formed by past riverine or lacustrine (lake-related) deposits.
Energy Release & Future Earthquake Risk
NCS stated that the quake zone released energy before reaching its threshold, reducing the likelihood of a major earthquake in the near future.
“Monday’s magnitude 4.0 quake is a good sign, as it allowed the rock materials to release stress before reaching the maximum credible earthquake magnitude of 4.6, recorded in 2007 in the same zone,” the report noted. The intensity was higher due to the shallow depth, but no casualties were reported.
Delhi’s Earthquake History
Delhi has experienced frequent seismic activity, with over 30 earthquakes recorded between April and August 2020 and more than 15 in 2022-23 (until March). Notable past quakes include:
- April 2020 – Magnitude 3.5
- May 2020 – Magnitude 4.5
- 2007 – Magnitude 4.6
Historically, Delhi has faced major earthquakes, including:
- 1720 Delhi earthquake – Magnitude 6.5
- 1903 Mathura earthquake – Strongest on record (6.8 magnitude)
- 1956 Bulandshahr earthquake – Magnitude 6.7
With a long history of habitation, Delhi-NCR remains seismically active, requiring constant monitoring and preparedness.
