Pictures that emerged from different parts of the city showed ceiling fans shaking violently and bottles shaking on tables.
Residents of Kolkata and several areas in south Bengal felt strong tremors on Friday afternoon after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck neighboring Bangladesh, the National Seismological Center said.
An IMD official said that the epicenter of the earthquake was in a place called Nayabazar in Bangladesh, about 100 kilometers from Kolkata.
The strong tremors left people in a state of panic, as residents gathered in open spaces and offices were evacuated in the Bengal capital. Many residents said they were shocked because they had never experienced such strong tremors before.
Swajata, a Kolkata resident, said the sofa and fan in their room were visibly shaking, after which she had to rush downstairs to open the spaces.
She said: “We were sitting on our couch when we suddenly felt tremors. We ran out of our house. The couch and the fan were shaking, and a bottle that was sitting on a table fell. We all ran downstairs.”
One resident said that these were “probably the strongest tremors I have ever felt in my life,” recalling how the building swayed for several long seconds.
Pictures that emerged from different parts of the city showed ceiling fans shaking violently and bottles shaking on tables.
In several neighborhoods, people were seen gathering in the streets, some barefoot, others carrying their phones, trying to contact family members and check on their loved ones.
Many residents said they had never felt such a strong earthquake in Kolkata before.
The tremor occurred at 1:22 pm EDT at a depth of 10 kilometers, and its epicenter was in Bangladesh at latitude 22.57 degrees north and longitude 89.11 degrees east.
Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded a magnitude of 5.3. The US Geological Survey confirmed that the epicenter of the earthquake was 26 kilometers southeast of Taki in the state of West Bengal.
The epicenter of the earthquake is close to the Bangladesh border
Khulna is located in southwestern Bangladesh, relatively close to the Indo-Bangladesh border and the Sundarbans delta region. The proximity of the epicenter, about 100-150 km from Kolkata, explains why the tremors were clearly felt throughout South Bengal.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred 23 kilometers from the city of Taki in West Bengal.
The 5.3 magnitude earthquake is classified as moderate, capable of causing noticeable shaking over a wide area, especially in areas with soft alluvial soil such as the Ganges Delta.
Shivya Kanojia is a journalist at Hindustan Times, where she works in the fast-paced digital news ecosystem with a strong sense of editorial judgment and a clear understanding of what makes a story important and action-driven. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Shivya strikes a thoughtful balance between news value and audience relevance to her work, ensuring that stories resonate beyond the immediate headlines. Over the course of her three-year journey in digital news, Shivya has worked across a wide range of industries, including politics, civic issues, human interest features and trending news. This diverse exposure has shaped her ability to engage with stories with nuance, adaptability and context, whether she is analyzing complex developments or shedding light on everyday narratives that often go unnoticed. She is particularly drawn to human interest stories, interviews and explanations that provide depth and clarity, and aims to go beyond superficial reporting to explore the people, emotions and circumstances behind the news. Before joining Hindustan Times, Shivya worked with Firstpost and Times Now, where she covered a wide range of topics and honed her skills in digital journalism. Outside of the newsroom, Shivya enjoys discovering new cafés, drawn to good coffee, cozy spaces, and thoughtful conversation. Shopping is another hobby she cherishes, not always out of necessity, but often guided by instinct and the simple joy of making unexpected finds. Above all, she values the time she spends with her loved ones, finding meaning in shared laughter, simple moments and memories that last a long time.Read more
