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Twin quakes rattle Kashmir, damaging houses in Baramulla’s Boniyar

By News Desk

August 20, 2024

Bhat Yasir

Several residential houses in the Boniyar tehsil of Baramulla district have developed cracks after two back-to-back earthquakes struck the Kashmir Valley.

The earthquakes, with magnitudes of 4.7 and 4.8 on the Richter scale, occurred on Tuesday morning in Jammu and Kashmir, causing widespread panic as residents rushed outside their homes.

Both quakes had their epicenters in Baramulla, occurring at depths of 5 and 10 kilometers, respectively.

Local residents reported that several houses in the villages of Trikanjan, Ijara, Mahura, Niloosa, Qazipora, Pehlipora, Ahtishampora, Limber B, and Nowshera within Boniyar tehsil have developed cracks.

The Tehsildar of Boniyar confirmed these reports, stating that they are currently compiling information on the damaged houses.

Lambardars and Chowkidars have been instructed to verify the claims of damage and report their findings to the Tehsil office in Boniyar.

Jammu and Kashmir fall under high seismic Zones IV and V, according to the seismic zoning map, making the region particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

It’s noteworthy that on October 8, 2005, a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Kashmir Valley, claiming over 1,350 lives and causing significant destruction, especially in the frontier villages of Uri in Baramulla and Karnah in Kupwara district.