NEW DELHI, April 3 — A powerful 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan triggered strong tremors across North India late Friday night, causing widespread panic in several states.
The seismic activity, which occurred at approximately 9:50 PM, was felt prominently in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Residents in high-rise buildings reported significant swaying, prompting families to rush into open spaces and streets for safety. Initial reports from the German Research Centre for Geosciences stated that the quake struck at a depth of nearly 177 kilometers.
“The tremors were quite strong and lasted for several seconds, making the ceiling fans shake visibly,” noted a resident of a high-rise apartment in Noida.
Many others across Chandigarh and Ludhiana affirmed that the sudden shaking caused immediate alarm, though no casualties or major structural damage have been confirmed so far.
Authorities in Punjab and Delhi stated that they are closely monitoring the situation. Disaster management teams have been placed on alert to assess any potential impact in older or more congested urban areas.
