Earthquake Alert: Tremors felt in Delhi NCR, J&K as 5.9 magnitude quake jolts Afghanistan-Tajikistan border

Tremors were felt in the National Capital Region (NCR) as well as parts of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) late on Friday as a powerful earthquake took place in Afghanistan. The location of the tremor was traced to the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. The magnitude was recorded at 5.9 on the Richter scale at 16:12:58 UTC (about 9:43 pm in India). The epicentre of the earthquake was detected at 71.01°E and 36.52°N.

How are earthquakes tracked?

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Earthquakes are tracked using instruments called seismometers -- extremely sensitive devices that are placed on the ground. These are capable of recording even the slightest of vibrations on Earth.

When the ground shakes during an earthquake, these instruments capture the movement and convert it into signals.

Scientists read and study these signals. Contemporary systems can detect earthquakes happening thousands of kilometres away -- even those you cannot feel at all.

With highly sensitive technology that amplifies even the slightest motion, seismometers are capable of detecting powerful earthquakes occurring anywhere across the globe. Modern systems record these ground movements very accurately over time, typically tracking waves with periods ranging from 0.1 to 100 seconds.

What does magnitude tell about a quake?

Technically, an earthquake's magnitude -- measured by the Richter scale -- indicates its overall strength, contrary to the common misconception that it measures movement.

In effect, the size of the quake is proportionate to the geographical area that it impacts. A magnitude value is like a single reading or score assigned to the tremors.

However, practically, the same magnitude feels different in different locations. This is due to a number of factors such as soil, terrain and distance.

The magnitude of the earthquake describes the general size of the earthquake. Each earthquake has only one magnitude. However, the intensity of the shaking on the ground may vary considerably from one place to another. The variation in the intensity depends on several parameters. The parameters include the distance from the epicentre and the nature of the soil or rocks.

Understanding the magnitude scale

Magnitude values are expressed using whole numbers and decimal points. For example, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 is considered moderate in intensity, while one with a magnitude of 6.3 is considered strong.

The scale used in the measurement of the magnitude of earthquakes is logarithmic in nature. It means that with an increase of one whole number in the magnitude of an earthquake, the amplitude of the seismic waves recorded on the seismogram increases ten times.

Here are answers to frequendly asked questions (FAQs) on the subject:

How are earthquakes measured?

Earthquakes are measured using seismometers -- sensitive devices that detect ground vibrations.

What is earthquake magnitude?

It is a single number that represents the overall strength or size of an earthquake.

Why does shaking feel different in different places?

It is because distance from the epicentre, soil type, and ground conditions affect shaking intensity.

What does a higher magnitude mean?

A higher magnitude means a much stronger earthquake -- each increase of 1 means 10 times stronger waves.

Is magnitude the same as damage?

No.