Why 4.0 earthquake in Delhi felt more powerful than it actually was

The majority of people in Delhi-NCR were asleep around 5:36 a.m. on Monday when powerful earthquakes startled them awake and caused them to flee their homes in terror. As onlookers watched in terror, videos showed the ground trembling. It seemed to be the most powerful earthquake Delhi had seen in a long time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concerns on social media immediately after the earthquake and advised locals to be on the lookout for possible aftershocks.

Although there were no recorded injuries or damage the severe tremors frightened the locals. One of the local person said, they “haven’t experienced anything like this before.”

Although the earthquake’s Richter scale magnitude of 4.0 is regarded as modest, it felt more powerful than that. At 5:36 a.m. on Monday, the National Centre for Seismology tweeted that it had struck five kilometers below the surface. New Delhi was the epicenter of the earthquake.

Is 4.0 Magnitude earthquake is this strong ?
“No..!”. There is no structural damage, although it is regarded as a moderately strong earthquake with low-level tremors.

An earthquake with a magnitude of less than 2.5 is usually not felt. An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 to 5.4 is considered mild and typically causes little harm. Buildings may have minor damage after a 5.5 to 6.0 magnitude earthquake, which is also very noticeable.

Then why did it felt this strong?
The huge noise that with the earthquake frightened the locals, who watched their buildings move for a few seconds until it passed. The short depth of the earthquake, tectonic plate movement, and many energy bursts could have all contributed to the loud rumbling sound that individuals reported.

An epicentre experiences the biggest shocks during an earthquake, which is why New Delhi was the epicentre of this 4.0 earthquake. shakes are felt most intensely here since it is the location on the earth’s surface that is right above the epicenter of an earthquake.

Another factor contributing to the tremors is the highly populated city area, where seismic waves travel a shorter distance before reaching the structures.