Srinagar, Aug 24: Five tremors of moderate intensity have been recorded in the past five days in the Valley with one of them having its epicenter in Jammu and Kashmir.
A look at the figures provided by the Disaster Management Cell of the State Government reveals that from August 19 to 23 five moderate earthquakes between 4.8 to 5.1 on Richter Scale were recorded.
On August 19, 20 and 22, quakes measuring 4.9, 5, 4.8 on Richter Scale were recorded while on August 23 two tremors with magnitude of 5.1 and 4.8 were recorded. One tremor had epicenter in Kashmir while rest four were centered in Hindukush region of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Experts suggest that there is nothing to worry but people need to take precautions in construction of their houses as the state falls in the earthquake vulnerable region.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Head of Department of Geology, Jammu University, Dr G. M. Bhat said there is nothing to worry as the tremors’ epicenter lies in Hindukush region. “It is not local geological activity,” he said.
Bhat however said that Return Period Theory suggests that there are chances of severe earthquake in Kashmir ‘but nobody can forecast when it will happen.’ “After every 500 hundred years Jammu and Kashmir witnesses great earthquake and the cycle can repeat itself,” he said.
Experts also say that the release of energy in the form of tremors caused by tectonic activities averts the chances of huge earthquakes.
“It is good that energy is released in the small quantity, if it is released in one go it can cause severe quake,” they said.
Echoing the same views, coordinator Disaster Management Cell, Aamir Ali, says that these tremors are routine here and it shouldn’t create any sort of panic among masses.
Ali said, “The quakes occur frequently in the region due to the movement of tectonic plates. When Indian and Eurasian plates collide against each other energy is released, causing the tremors. The effects of quakes are felt as Jammu and Kashmir along with Himachal Pradesh and North East lies on the fault line (where the plates collide).”
He added that with the state falling in vulnerable zone, people need to construct earthquake resistant structures and the retrofitting of older buildings should be done to safeguard them.
Over the past centuries, Jammu and Kashmir has been rocked by major earthquakes including 2005 quake which caused colossal loss of life and property on both sides of Line of Control. According to Roger Bilham, professor of Geology at the University of Colorado, the last “great earthquake” occurred in Kashmir in 1555.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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