2 injured, dozens of houses develop cracks in Kupwara

Kupwara, Aug 20: Two persons were injured while over two dozen houses developed cracks in this border district after a massive earthquake rocked Kashmir early Tuesday morning.

The tremors caused cracks in dozens of houses in Qaziabad, Monbal, and Mawer areas.

Station House Officer (SHO) Kralgund, Pirzadah Waseem told Greater Kashmir that two persons including a minor girl were injured.

He identified the injured as Umar Maqbool Sheikh, 22, of Kralpora, Qaziabad, and Bilquees Manzoor, 14, of Shalapora, Qaziabad.

The SHO Kralgund said that over two dozen houses were partially damaged in the Qaziabad area while the Government Upper Primary School Gujarnar was substantially damaged.

Locals said that several houses were damaged due to the earthquake in Bandi and Changdi villages of the Haril area.

They demanded due compensation for renovating their houses.

The Sub District Administration, Handwara, has asked the concerned officials of the Revenue Department to submit a detailed report about the losses suffered by the people.

“Although no structure has caved in, we have received reports of minor cracks to several houses in at least three areas of Handwara. However, there is no major loss. I have directed the tehsildars to conduct a survey and give a detailed report about the losses,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Handwara, Aziz Ahmad Rather said.

Earlier, cries and screams echoed in the air and panic gripped the people, who were seen coming out of their houses for safe shelter.