Magnitude 3.0 earthquake tremors felt in Nagpur on Tuesday afternoon, no damage reported

The ground shook suddenly in Nagpur, the winter capital of Maharashtra, and surrounding plains areas on Tuesday afternoon. Panic gripped people for a few moments as no one understood what was happening.

The calm of the city changed abruptly at around 3:20 pm. People were gripped by fear of some mishap.

It was a quiet afternoon like any other when the tremors began. Utensils, windows and doors in homes began to rattle sharply. A heavy rumbling sound was also heard from beneath the ground. At first, local residents thought there had been a big blast or a serious accident. But as buildings kept shaking, it became clear that it was an earthquake tremor and not an accident.

As the ground shook, panic spread among people in Nagpur. Leaving their work, people rushed out of homes, shops and high-rise buildings onto open roads in alarm. Within moments, crowds gathered in housing societies, at intersections and on main roads. Everyone was anxious and asking others for information on the situation.

According to preliminary reports, the light earthquake that struck Nagpur and adjoining areas measured 3.0 on the Richter scale. Scientists say the epicentre was only 8 km below the surface. Because the depth of the epicentre was quite shallow, the tremor was clearly felt above ground.

The sudden tremor created an atmosphere of fear across Nagpur district for some time. There was relief as there are no reports of any casualties or major damage. Official confirmation and a report from the National Centre for Seismology are awaited.