The quake’s epicenter was near Dhekiajuli, Assam. Tremors spread across the Northeast, with shocks felt as far as Bangladesh and Nepal.
BY PC Bureau
September 14, 2025 – A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck northeastern India on Sunday afternoon, jolting buildings and sending residents fleeing outdoors in one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), intensifying the shaking felt across multiple states and neighboring countries. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter lay about 14 kilometers east of Udalguri in Assam, near Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district. The tremor struck at 4:41 p.m. local time (11:11 UTC), catching many in the middle of their evening routines.
Local authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage, but the incident has raised fresh concerns in a region prone to frequent seismic shocks. Eyewitnesses described strong vibrations that lasted several seconds. “The ground literally moved under our feet—cups fell off shelves, and we rushed outside,” posted a resident from Guwahati, Assam’s largest city, roughly 100 km from the epicenter.
Tremors were felt widely across Assam, including Tezpur, and extended to Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal’s Malda district. The quake’s reach was broader still, with reports of vibrations from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and parts of southern China.
An earthquake hit Assam just now.
The epicenter was near DhekiaJuli, not very far from home.
Hope everyone is safe.
Prayers ! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/v9qeuqZEOT
— Kavya (@KavyaGarg_) September 14, 2025
India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed the event, closely matching GFZ and USGS data. Assam’s State Disaster Management Authority issued an advisory urging people to avoid elevators and remain outdoors until aftershocks subside. “We are monitoring the situation closely. No major damage has been reported so far, but teams are on standby,” a spokesperson said. Schools and offices in several towns were briefly evacuated as a precaution.
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The Northeast lies in Seismic Zone V—the country’s highest risk zone—where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide at nearly 47 mm per year. The collision has produced some of the region’s deadliest earthquakes, including the 1950 Assam-Tibet quake (magnitude 8.6) that killed over 1,500 people and altered river courses. Though Sunday’s quake is not expected to cause large-scale destruction, experts warn shallow tremors in rain-soaked terrain can trigger landslides.
Social media lit up with real-time updates and safety messages, with hashtags like #AssamEarthquake trending. “Felt it in Dhaka—hoping everyone in Assam is safe,” wrote a user from Bangladesh. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially pegged the quake at magnitude 5.6 before revising it upward.
Authorities cautioned that aftershocks may follow and urged residents to download alert apps like
