According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake originated at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers beneath the earth's surface. The epicenter was pinpointed near Nayabazar in Bangladesh, roughly 100 kilometers from Kolkata. While the tremors lasted for approximately 10 to 20 seconds, the proximity of the epicenter caused significant vibration across the Gangetic delta, an area known for its soft alluvial soil which can amplify seismic waves
The sudden movement sparked immediate alarm in the city's administrative and commercial hubs. Government employees at Nabanna—the state secretariat—as well as the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, were seen rushing to open grounds in apprehension of potential aftershocks. Similar scenes played out in the Salt Lake IT corridor and New Town, where tech professionals abandoned their desks to seek safety on the streets. On social media, residents shared vivid accounts and doorbell camera footage of swaying ceiling fans, trembling furniture, and water spilling from containers, with many describing it as the most palpable tremor felt in the city in recent years
Despite the intensity of the shaking, disaster management officials confirmed there have been no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage to property within West Bengal. Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, who was addressing a public gathering at the time of the quake, was forced to briefly halt his speech as the stage and surrounding structures began to vibrate. Experts noted that while the region remains seismically active—having felt tremors from a Myanmar-based quake earlier this month on February 3—today’s event felt more severe due to its geographical closeness
As of Friday evening, no significant aftershocks have been recorded, though authorities remain on high alert. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the region's vulnerability to trans-border seismic activity and has reignited discussions regarding earthquake preparedness in Kolkata’s rapidly expanding vertical landscape. For a city built on clay and silt, the 10-second tremor was a sobering demonstration of nature's unpredictable reach
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