Earthquake hits Delhi-NCR, UP, Rajasthan; epicentre in Gurugram's Haryana
An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter Scale hit parts of India including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Friday. The epicenter of the earthquake was traced 63 kilometers southwest of Haryana's Gurugram. No immediate damage or casualties were reported.
India is divided into four seismic zones — II, III, IV and V -- according to increasing intensity and frequency of earthquakes. The Delhi-NCR has been identified as the second highest seismic hazard zone (Zone IV).
Over the past two months, Delhi has felt a number of earthquakes. Since April, 20 earthquakes have been recorded in and around Delhi. Of the 20, two were above magnitude 4.
The historical earthquake catalogue shows that there were strong earthquakes in the Delhi-NCR -- of 6.5 magnitude at Delhi in 1720; 6.8 at Mathura in 1803; 5.5 near Mathura in 1842; 6.7 near Bulandshahar in 1956; 6 near Faridabad in 1960 and 5.8 near Moradabad in 1966.
On Wednesday, URJA, an umbrella body of resident welfare organisations in the city, on Wednesday wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, offering its support to help monitor the implementation of structural safety norms in the national capital.
Back in June, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) began identifying structures to ensure the seismic stability of high-rise buildings in the national capital. It also issued notices to groups and insitutions to submit structural audit reports. About 77 notices were issued to authorities at schools and residential group housing societites and institutions, asking them to submit structural audit reports. The Delhi High Court had on June 18 pulled up the AAP government and municipal bodies for non-implementation of an action plan for ensuring seismic stability of buildings in the national capital.
