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Nepal Jolted by 3.3 Magnitude Earthquake at Shallow Depth

A mild earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale struck Nepal in the early hours of Friday. The National Centre for Seismology reported the tremor occurred at a very shallow depth of just 5 kilometers. Shallow earthquakes are considered more dangerous as their seismic waves cause stronger ground shaking. Earthquakes are categorized as shallow (0-70 km), intermediate (70-300 km), or deep (300-700 km) based on their depth.

Key Points: 3.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Nepal | Shallow Tremor

  • Magnitude 3.3 tremor
  • Struck at 2:05 AM IST
  • Shallow depth of 5 km
  • Located in Nepal
  • Shallow quakes cause stronger shaking
1 min read

Earthquake of magnitude 3.3 strikes Nepal

A mild 3.3 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at a shallow depth of 5 km. Learn about the risks of shallow tremors and seismic zones.

"EQ of M: 3.3, On: 27/02/2026 02:05:02 IST, Lat: 27.15 N, Long: 85.16 E, Depth: 5 Km, Location: Nepal. - National Centre for Seismology"

Kathmandu, February 27

A mild earthquake of magnitude 3.3 struck Nepal around 2:05 AM IST, the National Centre for Seismology said on Friday.

The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 5 km near latitude 27.15 N and longitude 85.16 E.

In a post on X, NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.3, On: 27/02/2026 02:05:02 IST, Lat: 27.15 N, Long: 85.16 E, Depth: 5 Km, Location: Nepal."

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties. Earthquakes can occur anywhere between the Earth's surface and about 700 kilometres below the surface. For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0 - 700 km is divided into three zones: shallow, intermediate, and deep, as per USGS data.

Shallow earthquakes are between 0 and 70 km deep; intermediate earthquakes, 70 - 300 km deep; and deep earthquakes, 300 - 700 km deep. In general, the term "deep-focus earthquakes" is applied to earthquakes deeper than 70 km, the USGS states.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Living in Delhi, we often feel tremors from Nepal. It's a reminder that seismic zones don't respect borders. Good to see the data is being shared promptly by NCS. Preparedness is key for the entire Himalayan region.
V
Vikram M
Only 3.3 magnitude and at 5 km depth? Bhai, this is nothing to worry about. We get stronger jolts in the Northeast. Media makes a news story out of every small tremor these days.
P
Priya S
The scientific explanation about depth is useful, but the article feels repetitive. It could have focused more on whether there were any aftershocks expected or if people in nearby Indian districts like Bihar felt it.
R
Rohit P
Hope our disaster response teams are in coordination with Nepal if needed. We share the same geological risks. Jai Hind.
K
Kavya N
My cousin lives in Kathmandu. She messaged saying they slept through it! 😅 But it's a wake-up call. Many buildings, both there and in our hill stations, are not earthquake-resistant. Authorities need to enforce stricter codes.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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