Magnitude 4.9 quake rattles Uttarakhand, tremors felt in Delhi region

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Chamoli district in Uttarakhand on Tuesday night, its tremors reaching the Delhi‑NCR area. The National Centre for Seismology said the quake occurred at 22:23:23 IST, originated about 50 km south of Joshimath and was 13 km deep. The agency marked the event as "reviewed". No damage or casualties were reported in Uttarakhand, and authorities advised people to stay calm, avoid standing under heavy structures and follow NDMA safety tips for earthquakes. Delhi‑NCR has felt several quakes this year: a shallow 2.8‑magnitude tremor on 19 January, a 5.9‑magnitude shock from Afghanistan on 3 April, and a 6.2‑magnitude Afghan quake on 27 June that also caused shaking in northern India. On the same day as the Chamoli event, a 4.5‑magnitude quake hit Assam’s Nagaon district at a depth of 33 km, and a 2.5‑magnitude tremor rattled Himachal Pradesh’s Una on 5 October from 9 km depth.

Context

Uttarakhand lies in the seismically active Himalayan belt, so moderate quakes are not unusual. Ground motion can travel hundreds of kilometres, which is why Delhi‑NCR residents often feel tremors from nearby events.