Strong tremors felt in Delhi-NCR as 6.2 Magnitude earthquake jolts Nepal

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Two earthquakes of magnitude 4.6 and 6.2 jolted Nepal at an interval of 25 minutes, with strong tremors travelling to Delhi-NCR and parts of north India, the National Centre for Seismology said on Tuesday.

Quoting an official, PTI reported the first quake of magnitude 4.6 hit Nepal at a depth of 10 kilometre at 2:25 pm. A stronger quake -- magnitude 6.2 -- jolted the Himalayan nation at 2:51 pm.

People in Delhi and the National Capital Region felt strong tremors after the second quake and rushed out of their offices and high-rise buildings.

The Delhi Police urged not to panic. "We hope you all are safe. Please come out of your buildings to a safe spot, but do not panic. DO NOT USE ELEVATORS! For any emergency help, dial 112," Delhi Police said in a post on X.

Tremors were felt in other parts of north India including Chandigarh and Jaipur. The Police control room in Jaipur said there was no information yet about any loss.

The National Center for Seismology conducted initial assessments and reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 and occurred at a depth of 5 kilometers.

"Earthquake of Magnitude: 6.2, Occurred on 03-10-2023, 14:51:04 IST, Lat: 29.39 & Long: 81.23, Depth: 5 Km ,Location: Nepal," the National Centre for Seismology said in a statement.

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The earthquake took place in Nepal, with coordinates at latitude 29.39 and longitude 81.23. It lasted for over 40 seconds, leading to panic among residents who quickly left their homes.

Two more quakes (magnitude 3.6 and 3.1) hit the same region at a depth of 15 km and 10 km at 3:06 pm and 3:19 pm, respectively.

The epicentre for the strongest quake was 206 km southeast of the pilgrimage town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand and 284 north of Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow. (With inputs from agencies)