Another earthquake hits Kashmir, tremor creates panic

SRINAGAR, Sep 26: Three days after strong jolts were felt in Kashmir, valley witnessed another earthquake of 4.5 magnitude on Saturday, which created panic here.
An official of meteorological department said an earthquake of 4.5 magnitude hit Jammu and Kashmir at 12:02 pm. The earthquake again created panic in Kashmir. However, there was no loss of life.
On Tuesday evening, panicked residents rushed out of their homes after strong jolts were felt in Kashmir. The National Centre for Seismology said that the quake occurred at a depth of 5 km from the surface at 9.40 pm.
Kashmir has been witnessing frequent earthquakes. As per the details of Meteorological Department Kashmir accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service that over 140 earthquakes have been reported in the last one decade.
JK is vulnerable to disasters. At least 13 districts out of 100 districts in India have been identified as ‘multi hazard districts’.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, most parts of Kashmir covering the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Anantnag and parts of Jammu region, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar come under Seismic Zone V and are prone to earthquakes. While the rest J&K comes under Seismic Zone IV.
An official of meteorological department said the frequent earthquakes have proved that people and the government should be well prepared in dealing with such incidents.
“We need to take some measures like building earth quake resistant constructions,” he said.
An official document of the district development commissioner office Srinagar says that areas, which are ‘disaster prone and vulnerable’ in Srinagar district would be identified so that “residential colonies are raised at safe locations and people living in risk prone areas are rehabilitated elsewhere”.
An official posted at Divisional Commissioner Kashmir office said that there are many buildings in the district, which have been constructed without adhering to the norms pertaining to the earthquake resistant construction.
“Such buildings are not safe enough to resist the impact of a severe earth quake. If earthquake resistant technology is used in construction of buildings, such structures can withstand earthquakes up to a certain magnitude,” the official said.