GUWAHATI: An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Pakistan on Saturday, April 12, with mild tremors felt across parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
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According to reports, the quake occurred at 1:00:55 PM, with its epicentre located at latitude 33.63°N and longitude 72.46°E. The tremors originated approximately 10 km beneath the Earth's surface.
While no damage or casualties have been reported from Jammu and Kashmir so far, the incident has once again highlighted the region’s seismic vulnerability. The Kashmir Valley, lying in a high-risk seismic zone, has experienced severe earthquakes in the past.
One of the most devastating events in recent memory remains the earthquake of October 8, 2005, which had a magnitude of 7.6. That quake, with its epicentre in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killed over 80,000 people on both sides of the Line of Control. In India alone, 1,360 people were reported dead, while over 6,200 were injured. The quake further left nearly 3.5 million people without shelter.
The Chenab Valley region in Jammu and Kashmir, including districts like Kishtwar and Doda, has also witnessed frequent tremors over the past decade. Several private and government buildings have developed cracks in previous incidents, rendering them uninhabitable.
Seismologists have continued to warn about the need for constructing earthquake-resistant buildings in these areas. Traditional wooden and mud structures were once known to withstand quakes better, but the shift to modern cement concrete structures has reportedly increased the risks.
