Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 10: Panic gripped residents of the national capital and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning as a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck Haryana's Jhajjar district, sending strong tremors across Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.

The earthquake, which hit at 9.04 am, had a depth of 10 km, according to the National Institute of Seismology. Tremors were reported from several neighbourhoods in Delhi, where residents rushed out of their homes and buildings as ceiling fans swayed and windows rattled. Office-goers in Noida and Gurugram also felt the jolt, prompting many to step outside temporarily.

The tremors extended as far as Meerut and Shamli in western UP, nearly 200 km from the epicentre. In Haryana, people in Gurugram, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh, and Dadri also reported the quake. Many took to social media to share their experiences, with some saying it was the "longest" earthquake they had felt in their lifetime.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) quickly issued an advisory urging people not to panic. Citizens were advised to use stairs instead of elevators while evacuating and to stop vehicles in open areas if driving during a quake.

Seismic activity is not uncommon in Delhi and NCR due to the region’s placement in Seismic Zone 4, a high-risk zone. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) attributes the frequent quakes to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which creates stress along several active fault lines such as the Delhi-Haridwar Ridge, Sohna Fault, Delhi-Moradabad Fault, and Mahendragarh-Dehradun Fault.

Records show that since 1720, Delhi has experienced at least five major earthquakes measuring over 5.5 on the Richter scale. While Wednesday’s quake was moderate in magnitude, it served as a fresh reminder of the capital’s vulnerability to seismic disturbances.