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

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hit the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday morning, with tremors felt in Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal. India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported that the quake occurred at 6:10am.

An India Meteorological Department official told news agency PTI that the earthquake was recorded near Puri in Odisha. The quake occurred at a depth of 91 km in the Bay of Bengal, the official said.

The tremor was recorded at latitude 19.52 N and longitude 88.55 E, he added.

Though the earthquake tremors caused momentary panic among the residents of Kolkata, no immediate reports of damage or casualties have surfaced.

“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,” the NCS posted on X.

Many took to social media to share their experiences, with some posting about the sudden jolts they felt early in the morning. Hashtags related to the earthquake trended briefly as users discussed the impact and checked on others’ safety.

An X user posted, “Earthquake Alert! Received a Google Earthquake Alert at around 6:10 AM in Kolkata. Reports suggest the epicenter might be 175 km from Orissa. Did anyone else feel the tremors? Awaiting official confirmation. Stay alert and stay safe!”

“Earthquake in kolkata! 5.3 magnitude. Just felt and posting cause awake,” another user wrote.

Kolkata falls in Seismic Zone III, meaning the city faces a moderate risk of earthquakes. While it’s not as prone to major quakes as places such as Northeast India, the Himalayas, or Gujarat, tremors do shake the city from time to time. These usually come from seismic activity in nearby regions such as the Bay of Bengal, Nepal, or North-East India, rather than from faults directly under Kolkata.

Source: Hindustan Times