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Tremors in Lucknow as 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits Indo-Nepal border
Tremors were felt in Uttar Pradesh capital and adjoining areas after an earthquake measuring 5
Tremors were felt in Uttar Pradesh capital and adjoining areas after an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale with epicentre located near Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, 139 km North North East (NNE) of Lucknow, bordering Nepal jolted the areas at 1:12 am on Saturday. The tremor was felt for a few seconds, said those who experienced it.
In a tweet, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the nodal agency of the government of India for monitoring of earthquake activity in the country, said, “Location was 139 km NNE of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.”
A senior official with Geological Survey of India said that to be precise the epicentre was located in the plains of the Terai region near the southern border with Bahraich district. Several people living in high-rise buildings in Lucknow felt the tremor and came out of their houses. Many of them were awake due to Janmashtami rituals. But no aftershock was felt.
Sitaram Tandon, a resident of Prag Narain Road, felt the tremor and ran out of the building with his family. Several others also ran for safety. “My bed was shaking and everyone in the family felt the tremor,” said Gaurav, a software engineer. “While sleeping, I felt my bed was shaking and then I woke up,” said Deepak Agarwal, a businessman. Those who felt the tremor said it lasted nearly 5 to 8 seconds. There has been no immediate report of any casualty or damage to property so far.
Last time tremors were felt in Lucknow and some other parts of Uttar Pradesh in November 2019 after an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 on the Richter scale hit Nepal. Again, in April and May 2015, tremors were felt in Lucknow when a powerful earthquake jolted mountainous Nepal in quick succession.
Prof Dhruv Sen Singh of Geology department, Lucknow University, said, “Lucknow comes under the earthquake zone three. It can only be moderately affected by earthquake because all factors responsible for its origin such as fold, fault and other tectonic activities are less active in Ganga plain and their surface manifestation anywhere in Lucknow and in other places of Ganga plain is absent. In Ganga plain, there are some fault and ridges but they are inactive. Even if earthquake takes place in Lucknow, the alluvium sediments of Ganga plain act as a shock absorber that reduces the impact of earthquake.”
Earthquakes with a magnitude of about 2.0 or less are usually called microearthquakes. They are not commonly felt by people. Earthquakes between 3.0 and 3.9 magnitude are termed “minor” and do not have the intensity to cause any damage. Shocks in the range of 4.0 to 4.9 are called “light earthquakes” whereas those between 5 and 6 magnitudes can cause moderate damage in populated areas. Earthquakes above 7 cause severe destruction and loss of life over large areas.
According to NCS, mild tremors were reported a day before in Pithoragarh area of Uttarakhand which was hit by an earthquake of 3.6 magnitude. The earthquake occurred at 12.55pm. In Jammu and Kashmir too, an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 on the Richter scale hit the South-Southwest part of the Hanley village, NCS said. Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 on Friday.
