A 4.6 magnitude earthquake shook the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir today at 4:36 AM, waking people who were still asleep. Though the tremors were moderate in intensity, the shaking was widespread across the Kashmir Valley and parts of northern India. Its epicenter was determined to be at Latitude 34.48 N and Longitude 74.32 E with a shallow focal depth of only 10 km, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). Those shallow quakes create a larger shake on the surface, compounding the panic among towns throughout the region.
Awakened by the Jolt
Those living in Baramulla, Uri, Sopore, and parts of Srinagar said they had been awakened by the shaking. Many rushed out of their houses fearing greater aftershocks. “My bed shook violently and the windows rattled for several seconds,” said Firdous Ahmad, a resident of Baramulla town. “It was terrifying and I went outside with my whole family.”
Police and disaster management officials on the ground were immediately put on high alert. Yet till 8:00 AM IST, no confirmed casualties, injuries or serious structural damage have been reported from any area in the affected region. The status is still being investigated by authorities and locals are urged to remain vigilant.
Kashmir: The region most prone to earthquakes
Jammu and Kashmir is in Seismic Zone V, a zone that is a significant risk for earthquakes. It lies on the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Only a decade ago, in October of 2005, a large-scale earthquake of 7.6 magnitude killed over 80,000 Pakistan-administered Kashmir people along with thousands more (mostly Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir). Today’s quake might not have been nearly as great but it does highlight the area’s geological instability. Residents should prepare for any subsequent aftershocks and use safety procedures, disaster management teams have emphasized.
