Why Did Earthquakes in Delhi NCR and Bihar Feel So Intense? Understanding India’s Seismic Zones

On February 17th 2025 at 5:36 AM, a 4.0 magnitudinal earthquake hit Delhi inside the National Capital Region which is the epicenter being close to Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi at a depth of five kilometers. Residents in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad reported strong tremors that made many want to get out of their buildings. An hour or so later at 8:02 AM another earthquake of equal magnitude hit in Siwan, Bihar occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers. 

A 4.0 magnitude ordinarily appears in the light category for earthquakes. Damage is rarely reported in this magnitude. However, different factors play into the intensity of the tremor experienced. Likely the perceived shaking was very pronounced due to the relatively shallow depth of both quakes. Earthquakes that occur shallowly release their energy close to the Earth’s surface causing the ground to shake more forcefully.

India is susceptible to seismicity because it lies above the Indian tectonic plate that is thrusting into the Eurasian plate at an approximate speed of about 47 mm a year. The collision thus propels the series of quakes in northern Indian states. The Bureau of Indian Standards confirms that India is divided into four major levels of seismicity,

Delhi is placed in Zone IV portraying it being under a high seismic risk while parts of Bihar come under Zones IV and V verifying high to very high seismicity. The vibration felt in these zones indicates certain standards of resistance to the earthquake intensity felt by the people.