KOLKATA — A powerful 5.5 magnitude earthquake originating in southwestern Bangladesh sent strong tremors rippling through Kolkata and several adjoining districts of West Bengal, triggering widespread panic and forcing thousands to evacuate high-rise buildings and offices.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed that the seismic event occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface. With the epicenter located in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh—roughly 100 kilometers from Kolkata and barely 25 kilometers from the border town of Taki in North 24 Parganas—the impact was distinctly and immediately felt across the Gangetic delta.
Widespread Panic and Evacuations
The tremors, which lasted for nearly 10 to 15 seconds, caught residents completely off guard during busy afternoon hours. In densely populated areas and the commercial hubs of Kolkata, the shaking was severe enough to rattle windows, violently sway ceiling fans, and send unsecured objects crashing from shelves.
The panic was palpable across the city’s major administrative and commercial zones. Government employees rapidly evacuated the state secretariat, Nabanna, the Assembly House, and the Chief Electoral Officer’s premises, gathering in open streets out of fear of immediate aftershocks. Similar scenes of mass evacuation unfolded across the Salt Lake IT sector, where thousands of tech workers rushed down emergency stairwells to safety.
Infrastructure Impact and Ground Reports
While the West Bengal Disaster Management Department has confirmed that there are no immediate reports of casualties or massive structural collapses within the state, the sheer intensity of the near-field earthquake has left its mark.
Local civic authorities received scattered reports of infrastructural strain. In the Parnashree area of Behala in West Kolkata, a prominent stretch of road reportedly developed significant surface cracks following the tremors. Meanwhile, employees in several older buildings situated in the northern parts of the city reported newly formed fissures in the walls.
Seismologists attribute the intensity of the shaking in Kolkata to both the proximity of the epicenter and the city’s soft alluvial soil, which tends to amplify seismic surface waves. While no significant aftershocks have been felt immediately following the initial jolt, local authorities are advising residents to remain vigilant and avoid standing near weakened structures or older, dilapidated buildings.
