Bhat Yasir
Two moderate earthquakes struck Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning, sending waves of panic across the region.
The first tremor, measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 6:45 AM IST, followed by a second, slightly stronger quake of 4.8 magnitude just minutes later at 6:52 AM. Both quakes were centered in Baramulla, with depths of 5 kilometers and 10 kilometers, respectively.
As the ground shook, residents fled their homes in fear, with many frantically checking on the safety of their loved ones, locals told The Kashmiriyat.
“In Baramulla, one man sustained injuries while attempting to escape during the tremors,” they said.
Additionally, several houses in the Qaziabad (Kralgund) and Mawer (Handwara) areas of Kupwara district were reported to have developed cracks due to the seismic activity.
The Kashmir Valley, which lies in Seismic Zone V—India’s highest-risk category for earthquakes—was reminded of its vulnerability.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) classifies this zone as being at the greatest risk of significant seismic events, a concern that is compounded by the region’s history of devastating quakes, such as the 2005 disaster that wreaked havoc in Baramulla and Kupwara districts.
Amid the immediate concerns over the earthquakes, environmentalists have voiced their growing alarm over human activities in the region.
The blasting of mountains, alongside the construction of roads in environmentally fragile zones, has increased significantly in recent years.
Experts warn that these developments could be exacerbating the region’s susceptibility to natural disasters, potentially increasing the risk of future quakes and other environmental crises.