Earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hits Bay of Bengal, tremors felt in Kolkata

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale struck the Bay of Bengal early on Tuesday morning, with tremors being felt in Kolkata and several regions of West Bengal.

According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at 6.10 am at a depth of 91 kilometres.

The NCS confirmed the details of the earthquake on social media platform X, stating, “EQ of M: 5.1, On: 25/02/2025 06:10:25 IST, Lat: 19.52 N, Long: 88.55 E, Depth: 91 Km, Location: Bay of Bengal.”

Kolkata, which lies in Seismic Zone III, is considered to have a moderate risk of earthquakes. While the city is not as prone to major seismic activity as regions like Northeast India, the Himalayas, or Gujarat, tremors are occasionally felt due to nearby seismic events, such as those in the Bay of Bengal, Nepal, or North-East India.

Shallow earthquakes, occurring at depths of five to ten kilometres, tend to cause more significant damage compared to those that originate deeper within the Earth's crust.

The earthquake on Tuesday, though of moderate magnitude, was located at a deeper depth, which helped to reduce the intensity of the tremors experienced on the surface.

The earthquake tremors caused momentary panic among the residents of the state. However, there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

This earthquake follows a similar event on January 8, when mild tremors were felt in Kolkata following a powerful earthquake in Tibet and parts of Nepal. Similarly, North Bengal also experienced tremors but no significant damage was reported.

Earlier on February 17, an earthquake of magnitude 4.0 shook Delhi with stronger tremors experienced in the capital. Delhi's epicentre on February 17 caused more intense shaking there, as it was located closer to the national capital.

Authorities continue to monitor seismic activity in the region, and while there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties.