A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that rattled several parts of North India on Tuesday had its epicentre at Doda in Jammu and Kashmir. It sent panicked residents fleeing from homes and offices and frightened people even in remote villages.
The epicentre of the earthquake was at Doda in J&K at a depth of 6 km, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
Five school students were injured when a wall collapsed on them during the earthquake at Gundho-Bhalesa village in Doda district, officials said. The students have been shifted to the hospital where their condition is said to be stable.
The tremors triggered landslides and disrupted local traffic in the Doda district, a region that has been experiencing recurring seismic activity lately. Many have drawn a correlation between seismic activity and the blasting of mountains for dam and road construction projects.
Firdous Ahmad Khanday, a resident of Gundho-Bhalesa, narrated his harrowing experience. He said, “Everything around me started shaking violently. I felt helpless as the walls of my house crumbled around me. I thought I would never make it out alive.”
Khanday said there is panic and chaos in the area. “The fear of aftershocks is keeping us on the edge. It’s a trauma that will stay with us forever,” the traumatised Khanday said.
The repeated earthquakes have fuelled anxiety among the locals, who fear for their safety and the long-term consequences of ongoing construction activities.
Amir Ali, the chief of disaster management in Jammu and Kashmir, confirmed the 5.4-magnitude earthquake and highlighted the epicentre’s proximity to Doda. The local authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of residents, Ali said.
The Doda district has had a history of seismic activity, with concerns growing over the correlation between the recurring earthquakes and the blasting of mountains for dam and road construction projects. These activities, aimed at development and infrastructure improvement, have drawn attention to the need for thorough environmental impact assessments and stringent safety measures.
Kashmir has a history of seismic activity, with the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005 in Uri still etched in the collective memory. It had a magnitude of 7.6 and caused significant destruction and loss of life. At least 1,350 were killed in J&K in 2005 and around 79,000 were killed in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), according to The Britannica Encyclopaedia.
The earthquake also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including buildings, roads, and bridges. Many towns and villages were severely affected, with homes and businesses reduced to rubble.
