Fact Check: 7.7-magnitude earthquake poster, damaged building shared on social media are fake

Srinagar, 21 March: A major earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted Jammu and Kashmir with people running out of their homes for safety.

As people ran for their lives to open spaces, pictures of a Google search reading “Estimated magnitude 7.7 earthquake” were circulating on WhatsApp, misinforming people about the situation.

   

Not only this but a picture of a damaged residential structure was also shared accompanied by a text stating that the picture is from north Kashmir’s Karnah even as it claimed that three people had lost their lives, amplifying fear in the people’s hearts.

However, the picture is about the damage of the recent earthquake in Turkey captured by a Turkish photographer Firat Ozdemir for Getty Images.

As per USGS, the earthquake hit 40 km SSE of Jurm Afghanistan, at a depth of 187 kilometres.

There was no immediate report of any damage due to the quake, which was felt in Jammu and Kashmir and parts of northern India.

People were seen running out of their homes in Kashmir due to the earthquake.

Meanwhile, telecommunication breakdown was also reported from many areas forcing people to contact family and friends through whatsapp

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