5.2-magnitude earthquake jolts Chenab valley, tremors felt in parts of north India

Srinagar, June 13: A strong 5.4 high intensity earthquake jolted Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, causing major cracks in over a dozen structures including schools, hospitals, and residential houses.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake’s epicentre was at a depth of 6 km in the Doda district of Jammu division.
The tremors were felt across Delhi and other parts of North India, and in neighbouring Pakistan.
An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale occurred in the UT at 1:33 PM, according to the NCS. Its epicentre was in the Doda region of Jammu division, at a depth of about 30 kilometres.
It scared people in remote villages and sent panicked residents fleeing their homes and offices.
Damage to government buildings and cracks in private houses have been reported in the Doda and Kishtwar districts, as well as the sub-district town of Bhaderwah.
Due to the tremors, a few buildings in Doda’sBhaderwah town developed cracks.A ward of the sub-district hospital’s false ceiling also collapsed.
According to eyewitnesses, some of the debris fell on patients recovering in hospital wards. The patients have been moved to safety and are being treated in a hospital emergency room.
Two school students were injured when a wall collapsed on them during the earthquake at Gundho-Bhalesa village in Doda district.
The PWD office in Doda, as well as several residential houses in the Chenab valley district, were damaged during the 5.4-magnitude earthquake.
Qayamat, a road and building (R&B) department employee in Bhaderwah, and Israr Ahmed (15), a Dandi village resident, were among those injured.
While Qayamat was in the office when the ceiling plaster fell, Ahmed was at the Bhaderwah Sub District Hospital when ceiling tiles fell on him. The boy has been shifted to the hospital’s emergency unit.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Vishesh Paul Mahajan told Rising Kashmir that they have received reports of damage to houses and government buildings. Detailed report of the damages has been sought from the respective tehsildars.
“Two school students have been injured in Gandoh-Bhalessa village in Doda district. The students have been shifted to the hospital where their condition is said to be stable,” he said.
“I along with SSP, Abdul Qayoom visited Sub District Bhaderwah and parts of district headquarters at Doda to assess the damages caused due to the earthquake that shook the area today,” DC said.
He said minor damages to houses had also been reported from the remote areas of Gandoh and Bhallesa.
“The field staff has been directed to move into the interiors and assess the damage caused by the tremors,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar , Dr.DevanshYadav said two schools have suffered damage and following the cracks, students were evacuated from the schools.
“Schools including Govt High School Boys Kishtwar and Govt High School Binoon, Bounjwah have been damaged in the earthquake. While nearby houses have also developed some cracks,” he said.
The district administration has launched a special rescue operation in the affected areas. There were no reports of any causality in the district.
He said some partial, minor damages have been noticed in some government and private buildings in the Tehsil. Minor cracks were also reported in government and private buildings from Gandoh, Thathri and other areas, DC said.
“All the ADCs, SDMs, Tehsildars, and Police officers are on high alert and are in continuous touch with the public,” he said.
DC said PRIs, Lumbardars and Chowkidars, are assessing the situation and reporting to the higher authorities.
The DC has urged the public not to panic and stay vigilant and report to the concerned ADC, SDM, Tehsildar or Control room of the DC office in case of any eventuality.