Kolkata, Fen. 27: Kolkata and several adjoining areas experienced earthquake tremors on Friday afternoon, triggering panic among residents across the city and parts of south Bengal. The sudden shaking was felt in multiple neighbourhoods, prompting many people to step out of homes and offices as a precaution.
According to initial reports, the tremors were felt at 1.24 pm, with residents describing noticeable vibrations that lasted a few seconds. The tremors were widely reported across the metropolis and surrounding districts of Kolkata like North and South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Nadia, with the magnitude was recorded as 5.5 in the Richter scale, informed the National Centre for Seismology and the epicentre of the tremor was Khulna in Bangladesh.
Eyewitness accounts quickly surfaced on social media, with users sharing experiences of swaying ceiling fans, trembling furniture, and mild structural vibrations inside buildings. Several residents said they felt the tremor distinctly despite its short duration, leading to anxiety and confusion across parts of the city.
As of now, there are no confirmed reports of casualties or major damage. Authorities are expected to assess the situation and issue official statements after verification from seismic monitoring agencies. Emergency response teams remain on alert as precautionary checks continue in different parts of the city.
Kolkata and eastern India periodically experience tremors originating from seismic activity in neighbouring regions such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, or the Bay of Bengal, which can transmit noticeable shaking across the Gangetic plains. However, officials have yet to confirm the origin of Friday’s tremor.