An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan on Saturday morning, with tremors felt throughout elements of Jammu and Kashmir.
In keeping with officers from the Meteorological Division, the epicentre was positioned within the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border area, at a depth of 86 km. The earthquake occurred at latitude 36.13°N and longitude 71.38°E.
Whereas the tremors have been felt in a number of areas of J&Ok, there have been no experiences of casualties or injury to property. Nevertheless, authorities are preserving a detailed watch on the scenario. Folks rushed out of their houses and places of work in panic after the tremors have been felt. Residents stated they felt tremors for a number of seconds. They posted on social media about their expertise and shared their whereabouts with their shut kinfolk.
Kashmir lies in a seismically lively zone and has witnessed devastating earthquakes prior to now.
On October 8, 2005, a quake of comparable magnitude — 5.9 on the Richter scale — struck the area at 8.50 a.m. The epicentre was in Muzaffarabad, which was razed to rubble, and the catastrophe claimed over 80,000 lives on either side of the Line of Management (LoC).
Specialists have lengthy debated the area’s vulnerability. Conventional buildings in Kashmir manufactured from mud, timber, and brick have been thought of extra earthquake-resilient in comparison with the cement-concrete buildings constructed within the final seven many years.
The Chenab Valley area — together with Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, and Reasi districts — has skilled frequent seismic exercise over the previous decade. A number of residential and authorities buildings suffered structural injury throughout these episodes, prompting ongoing reduction and rehabilitation efforts by the authorities.
Whereas some seismologists warn of a possible main earthquake sooner or later, others preserve that predicting such occasions stays scientifically unfeasible.
