Two back-to-back earthquakes jolt Kashmir Valley

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, August 20

Two back-to-back earthquakes jolted Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning causing panic across the Valley. According to the officials, there was no major loss of life or property.

The first earthquake of magnitude 4.9 on the Richter Scale struck at 6:45 am at a latitude of 34.17 north and a longitude of 74.16 east at a depth of 5 km with the epicentre in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, the officials said.

They said another quake of magnitude 4.8 occurred at 6:52 am at a latitude of 34.20 north and a longitude of 74.31 east at a depth of 10 km with the epicentre in Baramulla as well.

The two earthquakes triggered panic across the Valley and people rushed out of their homes.

People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone urged the administration to send teams to upper areas in north Kashmir where cracks appeared in houses due to earthquake. “It seems Rafiabad, Langet, Handwara extended zone has been affected. These are the initial reports. There are bound to be more areas with instances of damages where cracks have rendered the houses unsafe,” Lone wrote on X.