Two mild-intensity earthquakes struck the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Tuesday, December 27th. While the tremors awakened locals, no immediate damage or casualties have been reported so far.
According to India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS), a 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit Leh district in Ladakh at around 4:33 AM at a depth of 5 km below the surface. The epicenter was located at 34.73 degrees North latitude and 77.07 degrees East longitude.
Around an hour later at 1:10 AM, Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district experienced a milder 3.7 magnitude quake. This temblor occurred at a depth of 5 km below the ground at coordinates 33.36 degrees North latitude and 76.67 degrees East longitude.
In both cases, fears of casualties or property damage were quickly alleviated as local authorities and police confirmed that the earthquakes did not trigger any adverse on-ground impact. Residents of Leh and Kargil districts in Ladakh along with those in Kishtwar felt strong shaking sensations but suffered no harm.
Experts pointed out that the Himalayan belt frequently experiences low-intensity quakes measuring under 5 magnitude on the Richter scale. While such tremors momentarily create panic among citizens, they normally subside without requiring disaster mitigation efforts. However, scientists have advised locals to take precautionary measures and not ignore earthquake safety protocols.
The twin temblors on Tuesday are the latest in a series of at least 15 small quakes that have hit the mountainous regions of northern India over the past month. With the area prone to high seismic activity, experts have urged the administration to enforce construction norms so that loss of life and infrastructure can be minimized during stronger earthquakes.
