Srinagar, April 18: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook the Kashmir Valley on Saturday, with its epicenter located in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province. Residents rushed out of their homes as objects, including fans, swayed. Fortunately, there have been no reports of damage so far.
Disaster management officials reported that the earthquake occurred at 8:24 AM, with a depth of 190 kilometers. The coordinates were 36.55 degrees north latitude and 70.92 degrees east longitude. According to seismologists, the Kashmir Valley is situated in a seismically active zone.
Historically, Kashmir has experienced devastating earthquakes. On October 8, 2005, a quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck Jammu and Kashmir, claiming over 80,000 lives. The epicenter of that earthquake was in Muzaffarabad, a city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which was completely reduced to rubble. The border town of Uri in the Baramulla district also suffered significant damage during the 2005 quake.
Kashmir’s history is marked by catastrophic earthquakes, as it lies in a high-seismic zone. Notable events include the devastating earthquakes of 1555 and 1885, which caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The earthquake on May 30, 1885, registered a magnitude of 6.8, resulting in over 3,000 fatalities and severe damage to buildings in the Srinagar/Baramulla region.
Structural engineers and earthquake specialists advocate for the construction of earthquake-resistant homes and buildings in Kashmir. They warn against the use of cement-concrete structures, which are particularly vulnerable to seismic shocks due to their low capacity to withstand tremors, often leading to collapse.
–
Leave a Comment