Earthquake in Doda dist in State of Kashmir
At least two people were injured and several buildings developed cracks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district as an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 struck the Chenab Valley region of the Union Territory on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the quake occurred at 1.33 pm and struck at a depth of 21 km, with its epicentre in Doda district. Mild tremors were reported in parts of Delhi and other parts of North India too.
The injured included Qayamat, an employee of the roads and buildings (R&B) department at Bhaderwah, and Israr Ahmed (15) of Dandi village. While Qayamat was in the office when the ceiling plaster fell, Ahmed was at the Sub District Hospital at Bhaderwah when tiles from the ceiling fell on him. The boy has now been shifted to the hospital’s emergency, sources said.
As panic spread with people rushing out of their houses, offices and commercial establishments, the Doda district administration announced the closure of all the schools in the district.
Eyewitnesses said that most of the buildings in Doda district had developed cracks due to the impact of the tremors that lasted for nearly 10 seconds.
The Sub District Hospital buildings at Bhaderwah and Gandoh, the R&B building in Bhaderwah and a government middle school building at Bounjwan were partially damaged. Scores of other buildings in Doda district also developed cracks.
Doda Deputy Commissioner Visaish Pal Mahajan toured Doda town with Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Qayoom, reassured people not to panic and said that there had been no major loss of property or loss of life. “The field staff has been directed to move into the interiors and access the damage caused by the tremors,” he added.
Mahajan admitted that even his own office shook when the earthquake occurred. “Cracks appear to have developed in old buildings,” he said.