Tremors felt in Delhi, parts of North India as earthquake jolts Afghanistan

A strong earthquake in Afghanistan sent tremors across Delhi and northern India, triggering panic among residents.

Updated on: Apr 3, 2026, 22:37:22 IST

By Yamini C S

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Tremors were felt across Delhi and parts of north India after a strong earthquake struck Afghanistan, sending brief waves of panic among residents.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan, and tremors were felt across Northern India and parts of Delhi. (Unsplash/Representative)

According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), an earthquake of upto 5.9 magnitude hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region and the Hindu Kush area on Friday. The quake occurred at a significant depth, with estimates ranging up to around 177 km, which often allows seismic waves to travel farther distances, which explains why tremors were felt across northern India.

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It is suspected that there could be damage to poorly-made buildings, however, there were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties.

Where was the epicentre

The earthquake’s epicentre was located near Darawan in Afghanistan, at Latitude 36.398 North and Longitude of 70.878 East.

Residents in Delhi-NCR and nearby regions reported feeling mild shaking, with some stepping out of homes and offices as a precaution. Mild earthquake tremors were experienced across other parts of north India as well, from Kashmir to Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The shaking, which was felt at around 9:46 pm, lasted only a few seconds. People in Pakistan's capital Islamabad also felt tremors, reported Reuters.

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People in several areas said they noticed sudden vibrations, especially in multi-storey buildings. A resident in Chandigarh said he felt a noticeable jolt for a short duration, while another person living on a higher floor in Zirakpur said they considered stepping outside but the tremors subsided quickly, as per a PTI report.

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In a related development, the National Center for Seismology recorded a separate, smaller earthquake of magnitude 3.8 in Tibet at a shallow depth of 10 km. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, while further details from the affected regions in Afghanistan are awaited.

(With inputs from Reuters, PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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