On this Monday (17th Feb 2025), residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to the strong tremors due to an earthquake. With a magnitude of 4 on the Richter Scale, the tremor felt intense to the residents. Many people took to their social media accounts to describe the scary experience during the earthquake.
It is not that the people of Delhi have not experienced an earthquake recently. The last earthquake that was felt in Delhi NCR occurred on 25th December 2025. But, it was not as intense as the latest earthquake has been felt. Though the magnitude was not too high, the tremor was so severe that people came down to the streets in fear.
Earthquake Epicenter: Delhi NCR
A prominent reason why the earthquake felt so severe is its origin. Being originated in Delhi NCR, the experts have noted that the Jheel Park area near Dhaula Kaun is the epicenter. Some of the residents have also claimed that they have heard a loud noise as the ground shook due to the earthquake.
As per the experts at USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, the tremor of an earthquake has been felt intense near the epicenter due to the seismic energy. Moreover, the tremor intensity has also been influenced by geographical conditions, including soil structure, presence of water bodies underneath, and more.
The Vulnerability of Delhi NCR
Delhi NCR falls into a vulnerable zone that may frequently encounter earthquakes. In the last three years, the national capital region has experienced around 10-12 earthquakes. In some cases, tremors were minor or negligible, while some tremors were significantly strong.
Due to its geographical location and soil structure, the city falls into the vulnerable zone for earthquakes. Besides falling into an active seismic zone, the city is close to various fault lines such as Delhi-Haridwar ridge, Sohna fault, Mahendragarh-Dehradun fault, Moradabad fault, Yamuna River lineament, etc. Therefore, experts often opine that facing earthquake tremors in this city is not uncommon.
The Strongest Earthquakes in Delhi
The average earthquake magnitude in Delhi NCR has remained around 4. Though in the last few years, the national capital region has frequently encountered multiple earthquakes, none of them were too intense. However, this does not guarantee that there won’t be any strong earthquake in Delhi NCR in the future.
If you check the history of earthquakes in Delhi, you will notice that many earthquakes have crossed magnitude 4 on the Richter Scale. In the following section, find the top five severe earthquakes in Delhi NCR at a glance.
- September 1, 1803: A powerful earthquake, estimated at magnitude 7.8, struck near Mathura. The tremors were strongly felt in Delhi, causing the collapse of a cupola on the Qutb Minar and structural weakening of the main column.
- March 29, 1999: The Chamoli earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, was felt across northern India, including Delhi. While the epicenter was in Uttarakhand, the quake caused notable tremors in the capital.
- November 25, 2007: A 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Delhi, causing noticeable shaking but minimal damage.
- September 7, 2011: Delhi experienced a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, leading to minor structural damages in some areas.
- March 5, 2012: A 5.2 magnitude earthquake occurred near Delhi, resulting in five injuries and minor damage.
PM Modi Calls for Calm
Following the major tremor in Delhi, the government has made a formal appeal to maintain calm and peace. PM Modi assured the citizens to remain calm, as the government is committed and prepared to manage disasters of any magnitude.
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