Kishtwar-Bhaderwah cluster of seismic activity: Geologist

Jammu: The region between Kishtwar and Bhaderwah is a cluster of seismic activity where earthquakes of varying magnitudes are expected in the future, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology, University of Jammu (JU), Dr Yudhbir Singh said Tuesday.

“The analysis of the seismic data generated with the help of seismic observatories installed over the past 10 years confirmed the tectonic activity in this region,” Singh told Greater Kashmir.

He said that small-scale earthquakes were also expected in the future.

“So, it is crucial to prioritise preparedness and awareness to minimise the impact of such events in the near future,” Singh said.

He said that the quakes do not directly cause fatalities.

“It is often the structures that pose a risk to human lives,” Singh said. “We need to shift our focus towards preparedness to mitigate the probable damage and to enhance overall resilience in the time of seismic events.”

He said that for achieving these things, there was a need to involve the communities and make them understand the requirements of preparedness to overcome this natural calamity.

Singh advised construction of earthquake-resistant structures to avoid losses and advocated for preparation for a long-term solution to deal with the earthquake like Japan had done with its quality construction as per the guidelines.

He said that the area had a history of earthquakes.

“On May 1, 2013 we had a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale and 37 quakes of different magnitudes in May 2013. On June 28, 2015, we had a 3.7 magnitude quake. On May 23, 2016, we had an earthquake of 4.3 magnitude. On January 25, 2020, we had an earthquake of 3.9 magnitude. On July 7, 2013, we had an earthquake of a magnitude of 5.4 near Bhaderwah,” Singh said. “In 2014, we had an earthquake of 5.5 magnitude near Kishtwar. In October 2018, we had an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 near Kishtwar. On February 20, 2019, we had an earthquake of 4.6 magnitude near Kishtwar which caused a significant damage to the property and casualties. On June 2, 2020, we had an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude near Kishtwar.”