Earthquakes in Baramulla: Two back-to-back quakes rock Kashmir district

Two back-to-back earthquakes with magnitudes 4.9 and 4.8 jolted Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district early Tuesday morning, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

The first earthquake at 4.9 magnitude on the Ritcher scale occurred at a depth of around 6:45 am. The second tremor was recorded at 4.8 magnitude, and occurred at a depth of around 10 km, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage. Authorities are monitoring the situation for any further developments.

Earthquake Vulnerability of India

India is highly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its geographical setting. The country sits on the Indian tectonic plate, which is constantly colliding with the Eurasian plate.

The country’s northern and northeastern regions are highly prone to earthquakes due to mountainous terrain. India is divided into four seismic zones, and most of the northern and northeastern region falls under Zone 4 and Zone 5, which are considered to be highly active seismic zones.

Jammu and Kashmir falls in Zone 5, the most seismically active region in the earthquake vulnerability map of India. Population density in highly undulating terrain increases the damage potential of earthquakes in the region.