Kolkata was hit by a major earthquake on Friday afternoon, with residents reporting shaking across the city around 1:22 p.m. According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake registered a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and was centered in southwestern Bangladesh at 1:52 p.m. local time.
Earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had recorded a magnitude of 5.3. The USGS confirmed the epicenter was 26 kilometers southeast of Taki, West Bengal.
As government agencies refine seismic data, it is common for preliminary magnitude estimates to fluctuate.
Residents shared their experiences on X, with one user saying, “I felt the shaking of an earthquake for the first time in my life.”
“I felt bad waves in Kolkata,” said another. There were also multiple reports from nearby areas.
Videos from across the city were posted on social media showing people running out of their homes in panic. The tremors were also felt in surrounding areas near the India-Bangladesh border.
Residents in several neighborhoods reported ceiling fans shaking, furniture shaking and windows rattling during the quake, and the effects were felt more strongly in high-rise buildings.
Authorities have not yet confirmed any damage or casualties.