West Bengal’s capital Kolkata was jolted by sharp earthquake tremors Friday, originating from a 5.3 intensity event in neighboring Bangladesh. The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported the quake at 10 km depth, with Kolkata measuring 5.0 intensity roughly 8 km from the epicenter.
Around 1:22 PM, the sudden shakes lasted seconds but sowed panic citywide. People abandoned buildings, fleeing to open spaces amid cries of alarm. The ripple effect extended to key districts: South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore.
A viral clip from Kolkata showed Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar mid-speech at an event; the shaking cameras and his concerned query to attendees highlighted the quake’s reach even into public gatherings.
Personal stories poured in—a young woman in Howrah spoke of the terrifying ‘rocking’ sensation that made her fear collapse. ‘We only realized it was an earthquake later,’ she shared, voicing a common dread.
This follows a February 3 nighttime tremor from Myanmar that lasted 15 seconds across Kolkata. The Bay of Bengal’s tectonic activity keeps the region on edge, prompting calls for enhanced monitoring.
No immediate reports of harm or devastation emerged, thanks perhaps to the quake’s brevity. Yet, it reignited debates on urban seismic readiness: from retrofitting colonial-era structures to school drills.
As seismologists watch for replicas, civic bodies distributed safety advisories. The incident, while minor in global terms, reinforces the need for proactive measures in this earthquake-prone zone bordering active faults.