Mild quake hits Delhi, 2nd in two days
New Delhi: A mild 2.7 magnitude earthquake hit Delhi for the second time in two days on Monday. The tremor at 1:30 pm had its epicentre at the depth of 5 km in northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar. The 3.5 magnitude earthquake on Sunday had its epicentre at the same location at the depth of 8 km. “These earthquakes were well recorded by seismological network maintained by the National Center for Seismology (NCS),” the NCS said in a statement.
AP Pandey, an NCS seismologist, said normally such small earthquakes are followed by more tremors. “If the next event occurs close to the epicentre as is the case this time, then it shows that the movement is settling back. Delhi and surrounding regions have lots of faults. There may be other earthquakes but we cannot say when,” he said.
According to the NCS statement, Delhi experienced last perceptible earthquake of magnitude 3.5 on April 24, 2018. Prior to that, a magnitude 3.8 earthquake occurred on September 7, 2011, near the Delhi-Haryana border. Delhi also recorded low magnitude earthquake with the epicentre within Delhi in 2007. Another earthquake was recorded in Delhi on April 28, 2001, of 3.4 magnitude.
Officials said the people perhaps felt the latest earthquakes strongly than usual since most are at home and the “ambient vibrations” road traffic causes have died down because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
“These are called tremors and very small earthquakes have been recorded in the past in the Jhajjar and Rohtak areas. We are in seismic zone 4 [severe earthquake intensity zone]. We are close to the Himalayas where even magnitude 8 earthquakes can be recorded. The local soil quality also plays a role. Thick sediment soil in Delhi also amplifies the impact. The area where the epicentre is has newer alluvium soil which can record more tremors. It is close to the Yamuna belt,” said Pandey. He added that less noise from traffic or other sources has made the recording on seismometer very accurate and intense experience for the people.