Srinagar, February 02 : A moderate intensity earthquake, with its epicentre in the Budgam district, rattled parts of the Kashmir valley in the early hours of Monday, officials said.
The tremors, felt at approximately 5:35 AM, caused momentary panic among residents, who rushed out of their homes in several districts. The quake originated at a shallow depth of 10 km, with its epicentre located near Budgam, according to data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported by independent weather portal Kashmir Weather.
Official sources told news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) that initial assessments from the ground indicated no loss of life or significant damage to infrastructure.
“The concerned departments are actively monitoring the situation.
As per preliminary reports received so far, there have been no casualties or major property damage reported from any district of Jammu and Kashmir,” a senior official from the State Disaster Management Authority stated.
The quake, measuring a magnitude of 4.8, released seismic energy equivalent to approximately 239 tons of TNT. Areas nearest to the epicentre included Charar-i-Sharief, Pulwama, Srinagar, and Shopian.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information. Eyewitnesses described feeling a strong, brief shaking that lasted for several seconds. (KNS)
