Aftershocks rattle NCR, residents run to open areas

GURGAON/NOIDA/GHAZIABAD: Fresh tremors were felt in Delhi and the NCR cities of Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon on Sunday after a strong 6.7 magnitude aftershock hit Nepal, jolting of northern India again. The epicentre of the Sunday’s aftershock was Kodari, around 80km east of Kathmandu.
Even though the tremors were mild, panic gripped those living in highrise apartments.Residents rushed out of their homes and were seen waiting anxiously in parks throughout Sunday afternoon.
Divya Rajani, a resident of Hamilton Court, said, “The ground beneath my feet moved. Images of the massive earthquake in Nepal flashed in front of my eyes. I immediately left the apartment and remained in the garden for more than two hours.”
“I was watching the news about the earthquake when overhead lamps and a cupboard suddenly started to shake. It was enough to send shivers down my spine. I carried my three-year-old child and left the flat,” said Shikha Sahni, a resident of Vatika City on Sohna Road.
Some residents were even seen driving away from residential colonies in their cars. Subhash Mitra, a resident of Park View apartments in Palam Vihar, said, “We live in a concrete jungle. Even if you sit in the township’s garden, you are surrounded by tall towers which can collapse. So I decided to get into the car with my family and drive to Biodiversity Park.”
According to the Met department, Sunday’s quake measured 6.9 on the Richter scale near Kathmandu.
Noida, too, experienced tremors on Sunday, when people rushed out from houses and malls into open spaces. “I was cooking when my mother raised the alarm about tremors. Initially, I ignored her, but when I noticed a water bottle tremble, I was shocked and rushed out on the road,” said Vibha Sachdeva, a Sector 39 resident.
Another resident, of Sector 105, had a similar tale to share. “I was shopping with my wife at a mall. We were in a grocery outlet when I noticed articles start shaking. Within a second, other buyers also confirmed the tremor and we rushed to the main gate. There were around 200 people in the store. Thankfully, everyone was safely evacuated,” said Pranav Prakash, a professor.
The story was much the same in Ghaziabad, which lies on a known fault line. The administration said that no loss of lives or major damage to property has been reported.