‘Felt as if the bridge was collapsing’: Delhi residents recall panic after earthquake tremors felt

NEW DELHI: Tremors of the earthquake that struck New Delhi in the early hours of Monday created a sense panic among locals.

A passenger who was waiting for his train at the New Delhi Railway station said that he was in the waiting lounge when he felt the tremors.

“I was in the waiting lounge and suddenly around 5:36 a.m. we felt really strong tremors. We felt as if the bridge was collapsing…. ” said the passenger speaking to ANI.

A local from Noida said that he felt as if the whole building was shaking.

“At 5:35 a.m, the whole building was shaking…Our whole family ran outside the home. I have never felt such strong tremors of an earthquake. We are all safe…” he said.

#WATCH | A 4.0-magnitude earthquake jolted the national capital and surrounding areas | A passenger awaiting his train at New Delhi railway station says, “I was in the waiting lounge. All rushed out from there. It felt as if some bridge had collapsed…” pic.twitter.com/I5AIi31ZOd

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2025

Another local from Ghaziabad said that he had never felt such tremors before.”Tremors were so strong. I have never felt like this ever before. The entire building was shaking…” he said.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal prayed for everyone’s safety after the earthquake hit.

Re-posting Delhi’s caretaker CM Atishi’s post on X, he said, “I pray for the safety of everyone,”Atishi also prayed for everyone’s safety. “A strong earthquake just hit Delhi. I pray to God that everyone is safe,” she said on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged residents of Delhi and surrounding areas to stay calm and follow safety measures after a 4.0-magnitude earthquake jolted the national capital region early in the morning.

In a post on X, the prime minister also advised everyone to remain alert for potential aftershocks.”Tremors were felt in Delhi and nearby areas. Urging everyone to stay calm and follow safety precautions, staying alert for possible aftershocks.

Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation,” PM Modi said.

An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale hit Delhi-NCR early Monday at a depth of 5 km, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

The strong tremors were felt at 5:36 AM. The sudden jolts prompted residents to rush out of their homes in panic.