A 5.8 magnitude earthquake has shook the northern India on Monday night with tremors felt in the states of Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. The epicentre of the earthquake is found to be near Beron Basti Haat Road in Rudraprayag district, about 60 km north of Srinagar (Uttarakhand) and 130 km northeast of state capital Dehradun. The quake had originated from about 15 km below the earth’s surface. The tremors were felt strongly in Delhi and the NCR. No casualties are reported.
“The tremors felt in Delhi seemed much more than what is expected for a 5.8-magnitude quake, which is a moderate intensity earthquake. As of now, it is difficult to say why it was felt so strongly or whether it was indeed more than expected. We are still studying the characteristics of the quake,” Vineet Gehlot of the National Centre of Seismology said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeteds, “Spoke to officials & took stock of the situation in the wake of the earthquake felt in various parts of North India. PMO is in touch with officials in Uttarakhand, which is the epicentre of the quake. I pray for everyone’s safety & well being.”
“There were strong tremors for around 10 seconds. We came out of our homes, but thankfully there was no damage,” Rudraprayag-based farmer Bhupendra Bhandari said. “We spoke with our friends near Gaurikund they also felt the tremors, but there was no damage.”
By Premji
