Earthquakes Hit Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

JUNE 18, 2023

In a span of just 24 hours, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were hit by a series of five earthquakes, causing widespread panic and damage. The first earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter scale, struck early in the morning at 3:07 AM, with the epicenter located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.

This was followed by another earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 4.7, which hit the same region just half an hour later, at 3:37 AM. The third earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 5.1, struck at 8:21 AM in Ladakh’s Kargil district. This was followed by a fourth earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 3.9, which hit at 10:13 AM, with the epicenter located in the same region as the first two earthquakes.

The fifth and final earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 4.8, struck at 1:30 PM, and was once again centered in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The rapid succession of earthquakes left residents in the region shaken, with many spending the night outdoors due to fears of aftershocks.

As of now, there has been no report of loss of life, though there has been extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure. The National Disaster Response Force and other relief agencies have been deployed to the affected areas, providing aid and assistance to those affected by the earthquakes.

This series of earthquakes serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of the region to seismic activity, and highlights the need for improved disaster preparedness measures in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Sources