Earthquake Of 5.5 Magnitude Felt In Kolkata, Originated In Bangladesh

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck eastern India on Thursday afternoon, sending tremors across Kolkata and briefly interrupting a public event addressed by Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar. The quake was felt at approximately 1:22 pm, according to the weather office, and originated in Nayabazar in neighboring Bangladesh.

A video shared by news agency Indo-Asian News Service showed Majumdar speaking at a podium during a gathering in the city when the tremors began. As lights above the stage visibly shook, the minister paused and asked the audience, “Should I stop?” The brief interruption underscored the suddenness of the quake, which was felt across several parts of the city.

The tremors prompted residents in multiple neighborhoods to rush out of homes, offices, and commercial buildings as a precautionary measure. At the state secretariat, Nabanna, employees evacuated the building and gathered outside. Similar scenes were reported from Salt Lake, Kolkata’s prominent information technology hub, as well as from multi-storey residential complexes across the metropolitan area.

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While initial reports described the earthquake as having a magnitude of 5.0, subsequent updates indicated it measured 5.5. Authorities did not immediately report any casualties or major structural damage, though assessments were ongoing at the time of writing. Emergency protocols were activated in several offices as a precaution.

Eastern India, particularly West Bengal, periodically experiences tremors due to its proximity to seismically active zones in the Himalayan belt and neighboring Bangladesh. Thursday’s quake served as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability to seismic activity, even as normalcy gradually returned to Kolkata following the brief disruption.

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