4.9 magnitude quake jolts Kashmir

Baramulla, Aug 20: Two back-to-back earthquakes struck Kashmir early Tuesday morning, causing significant damage across north Kashmir’s Baramulla district and leaving one person severely injured.

“The first earthquake of magnitude 4.9 on the Richter scale struck at 6:45 am at a latitude of 34.17 North and a longitude of 74.16 East at a depth of 5 km with the epicentre in Baramulla district of north Kashmir,” the officials said.

They said that another quake of magnitude 4.8 occurred at 6:52 am at a latitude of 34.20 North and a longitude of 74.31 East at a depth of 10 km with the epicentre in Baramulla as well.

The tremor, which occurred at 6:45 am with an epicentre in north Baramulla, rattled the area and caused widespread panic among the residents.

A man sustained serious injuries in Baramulla town after he jumped from the second floor of Ahmad Complex, a local shopping centre, in panic during the quake.

The injured man was immediately taken to the Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla for treatment.

His condition is reported to be stable.

In addition, the earthquake caused severe damage to several buildings and residential houses across the district.

In Tantray Mohalla at Khadniyar, a residential house belonging to Muhammad Yousuf Rather was severely damaged, forcing the family to seek refuge in a neighbour's home.

The house is now unsafe for the occupants.

In the old town of Baramulla, multiple houses and a Masjid developed cracks, raising concerns among the locals about the safety of these structures.

Similarly, at Shutloo Rafiabad, a Dar-Ul-Uloom (Islamic seminary) was damaged, with most of its walls developing cracks during the quake.

Following the tremors, the students of the seminary rushed out of the building in panic.

In the Rampur Rajpur area of Sopore, the walls of a government ration depot sustained extensive damage.

In Sheeri Baramulla, several structures occupied by Kashmiri Pandit migrants were also affected following the cracks developed in these structures.

The tremor was felt across many parts of Kashmir as well as in Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar in the Jammu region.

These areas are classified as Seismic Zone V, indicating a very high risk of earthquake damage.

According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake was shallow, occurring at a depth of just 5 km, which amplified its impact.

Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Kashmir Valley, lies within Seismic Zone V, a region highly susceptible to earthquakes.

The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority has frequently warned of the high risk of seismic activity in the area, stressing the need for earthquake-resistant construction and preparedness among the residents.