A moderate 5.3 magnitude earthquake striking Bangladesh sent powerful tremors rippling through Kolkata and West Bengal on February 27, turning a routine Friday afternoon into chaos. Striking at approximately 1:22 PM, the quake’s effects were felt intensely across the bustling metropolis and nearby districts.
Data from the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre pinpointed the epicenter 10 km underground in Bangladesh, about 8 km from Kolkata where local intensity hit 5.0. The brief but fierce jolts, enduring mere seconds, triggered mass evacuations as office-goers and homemakers alike spilled onto streets.
Social media erupted with videos, including one from a political rally where cameras wobbled and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar halted his speech, turning to the audience in surprise. ‘Did you feel that?’ he asked, capturing the collective shock.
Hardest hit were areas including Howrah, Hooghly, South and North 24 Parganas, and the Midnapore districts. Residents shared harrowing accounts: a Howrah local described the ground seeming to ‘heave’ beneath her feet for a few heart-stopping moments.
Echoing a similar scare earlier this month on February 3—when 15-second tremors from Myanmar origin shook the city—this event underscores the seismic hotspots near the Indo-Burmese plate boundary.
Preliminary assessments indicate no structural damage or injuries, a fortunate outcome given the urban density. Disaster management teams swung into action, conducting safety checks on bridges and high-rises. Experts recommend earthquake-resistant building norms be strictly enforced.
In the aftermath, Kolkata’s resilient spirit shone through as life resumed, but conversations now buzz with calls for better early warning systems and public awareness campaigns to brace for nature’s unpredictable fury.