Several residential house, a school and a hospital among nearby two dozen buildings developed cracks after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake jolted the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon.
"Tremors were felt when 5.4 magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Doda district," an official said.
He said that no injury was reported from any part but some houses and a school building developed some cracks.
He said that the region of the quake was Eastern Kashmir, 33.32 N; 75.85 E and a depth 60 kilometres covering a distance of 113 km North East of Jammu.
Meanwhile, the tremors of the earthquake were felt across the Union Territory and parts of north India including the national capital New Delhi.
According to National Center for Seismology (NCS) the earthquake had its epicentre in Doda district measuring 5.4 magnitude on the rector scale. The tremors were felt across Jammu and Kashmir and parts of north India including New Delhi.
“Earthquake of Magnitude:5.4, Occurred on 13-06-2023, 13:33:42 IST, Lat: 33.15 & Long: 75.82, Depth: 6 Km, Location: Doda, Jammu and Kashmir,” NCS tweeted.
Eyewitnesses said that they felt strong tremors for a few seconds and it seemed like earth was moving under their feet.
Kashmir region is located in the Himalayas, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet. This makes the region vulnerable to earthquakes, and there have been many large and destructive earthquakes in Kashmir throughout history.
The most recent major earthquake in Kashmir occurred on October 8, 2005. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale and was centered near Muzaffarabad, in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The earthquake caused widespread damage and loss of life in both Pakistan and India.
In Pakistan, the earthquake killed an estimated 86,000 people and injured more than 69,000. More than 32,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged. The earthquake also caused widespread landslides and flooding, which further compounded the damage.
In India, the earthquake killed an estimated 1,350 people and injured more than 6,266. More than 10,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged. The earthquake also caused widespread power outages and communication disruptions.
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major humanitarian crisis, and the international community responded with a massive relief effort. The United Nations, the United States, and other countries provided food, water, medical supplies, and shelter to those affected by the earthquake.
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a reminder of the seismic risk in the region. The region is located in a seismically active zone, and there is a high risk of future earthquakes. The international community must continue to support efforts to reduce the risk of earthquakes in Kashmir and other seismically active regions.