Friday afternoon was moving along as usual in Kolkata when, for a few brief seconds, the ground began to tremble. A 4.9 magnitude earthquake was reported, with its epicentre in Bangladesh, and mild tremors were felt across Kolkata and parts of West Bengal.
The shaking did not last long, but it was strong enough to make people pause and step out of their routines. In Salt Lake, a resident said, “At first I thought it was a truck passing. Then the cupboard started moving.” In Howrah, a young mother picked up her child and stepped away from the balcony area. “It was just a few seconds, but it felt longer,” she said.
On social media, posts appeared within minutes, with people sharing updates and reassuring friends that they were safe. The hashtag, ‘#KolkataEarthquake’ began trending within minutes. Some residents stepped downstairs as a precaution, while others stayed indoors but alert, scanning news updates for confirmation. While there was understandable concern, there was also a sense of community as residents checked in on one another.
This is not the first time tremors have been felt in recent weeks. Earlier this month, mild shaking was experienced in parts of the city following seismic activity in the region. Fortunately, no significant damage or injuries were reported then, and the same remains true for today’s event so far.
Experts note that Kolkata falls under Seismic Zone III, which indicates a moderate level of earthquake risk. The city’s location on the Ganges delta means that the soft soil can sometimes make tremors feel more pronounced than they might in areas with harder ground. Shallow earthquakes, especially those occurring closer to the surface, can also be felt more strongly.
Authorities have confirmed that there are no reports of major structural damage or casualties at this time. Disaster management teams are monitoring the situation as a precaution, and residents are being advised to remain calm and stay prepared.
