February 17, 2025 – An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 on the Richter Scale hit Delhi and NCR this morning at around 5:30 leading to strong tremors which created a loud booming sound lasting a few seconds. Several adjoining areas of Delhi also felt the strong jolt with people describing it as “one of the most insane earthquakes”.

No loss of life or injuries has been reported so far but the intensity of the tremors was quite strong with CCTV footage showing pipes and wires swaying wildly. Residents of Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad rushed out of their homes following the tremors.

Although the intensity of the quake was only 4.0, the tremors were strong because the epicentre was within Delhi itself.

The National Centre of Seismology (NCS) reported the depth of the earthquake at about 5 km. The loud booming sound was as a result of the shallow epicenter, says the US Geological Survey (USGS), elaborating that the shallower the epicenter the more energy and sound produced.

"The location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocentre, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicentre," USGS said.

As the ground vibrates it creates a short-period seismic wave motion that becomes sound waves on reaching the air.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on his X handle: "Tremors were felt in Delhi and nearby areas. Urging everyone to stay calm and follow safety precautions, staying alert follow safety precautions, staying alert for possible aftershocks. Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation”.

Meanwhile, another earthquake hit Siwan district in Bihar at around 8:02 am, according to the National Centre for Seismology.