Earthquake of magnitude 6.1 jolts Nepal, tremors felt in North Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 jolted Nepal early on Friday, with tremors felt in several parts of India, including West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar. The earthquake occurred around 2.36 am Nepal’s Kathmandu valley early Friday morning, with its epicentre in Sindhupalchowk district.

The impact of Friday’s earthquake was still being assessed, with no reports of damage or casualties. Social media posts showed buildings and ceiling fans shaking in Patna, Sikkim, and Darjeeling.

Severity of Nepal Earthquake

According to Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.1. However, the German Research Center for Geosciences reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 5.6, with a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), while India’s National Centre for Seismology and the US Geological Survey both recorded it at 5.5.

“There have been no reports of deaths or injuries due to the earthquake of morning. In the epicentre as well, there are no reports of major damages to infrastructures,” Nepal Police DIG Dinesh Kumar Acharya told ANI.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter Scale hit Nepal at 2.36 IST today.

(Source – National Center for Seismology) pic.twitter.com/OtockGLncO

— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2025

What makes Nepal prone to Earthquakes?

Nepal lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (Seismic zones IV and V), making the country extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. This tectonic movement not only lifts the Himalayan Mountains but also generates immense stress beneath the Earth’s surface. When this stress surpasses the strength of the rocks, it is released as an earthquake, which explains the frequent seismic activity in Nepal and the surrounding Himalayan region.

Nepal’s geology, which mostly consists of young and unstable rock formations, increases the impact of earthquakes. Apart from this, high population density in urban areas like capital city Kathmandu along with unregulated construction practices considerably increases the risk of casualties and damage.

Back to Back Earthquakes Shook Kolkata, Odisha, Delhi, Mandi and Bihar

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hit the Bay of Bengal early on Tuesday near Odisha’s Puri, with tremors felt in Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal along with neighbouring country Bangladesh. However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

The earthquake occurred at 6:10 am as informed by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The earthquake tremors caused momentary panic among the residents of Kolkata, even though major damage or casualties were not reported. Prior to this, earthquake recently shook Delhi, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and Ghaziabad.