Strong 5.3 Magnitude Quake Jolts Kolkata: Tremors Felt Across City; Epicentre Near Bangladesh's Khulna

Kolkata: Strong tremors were felt across Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal on Friday afternoon after an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude struck at 1:22 PM. Panic briefly gripped residents as people rushed out of homes and offices, but no casualties or major damage have been reported so far.

Seismic data from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) confirmed the tremors felt in the city. However, international agencies reported a stronger quake in neighbouring Bangladesh that appears to have triggered the shaking across eastern India.

According to the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) of the US Geological Survey (USGS), a 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh at 07:52:24.8 UTC (around 1:22 pm IST). The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, with coordinates 22.451°N and 89.139°E.

The USGS said the epicentre was located about 47 km northeast of Gosaba in West Bengal and 29 km south-southeast of Satkhira in Bangladesh. Another update indicated the epicentre to be roughly 26 km southeast of Taki in West Bengal, close to the India-Bangladesh border.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department (BMD) Seismic Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka, recorded the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter Scale, placing the epicentre southwest of Dhaka.

Tremors Across Kolkata

Residents across Kolkata reported buildings shaking for several seconds. Visuals from various neighbourhoods showed people standing outdoors in open spaces as a precautionary measure. Offices and residential complexes were briefly evacuated in parts of the city.

The tremors were also felt in multiple districts of West Bengal, including areas bordering Bangladesh. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely.

No Casualties Reported

Officials confirmed that there were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage in Kolkata or nearby regions. Disaster management teams remain on alert as a precaution and authorities have urged residents to remain calm while following standard safety protocols in case of aftershocks.

Eastern India, particularly West Bengal and the northeastern region, falls under a seismically sensitive zone due to its proximity to tectonic fault lines and the Indo-Burmese arc, making occasional tremors not uncommon.

Further updates are awaited as seismic agencies continue to analyse data related to the quake.