Doda: Earthquakes and Chenab Valley seem to have a long relationship as every now and then this part of the Himalayan region is shaking with low to moderate-intensity earthquakes keeping the people of the area on tenterhooks.
In the past four days, more than a dozen earthquakes have shaken the area with the epicenter changing from place to place.
The new series of earthquakes started with a moderate earthquake of 5.4-magnitude on the Richter scale on June 13 followed by another moderate tremor measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale on the interviewing night of June 13 and 14. Thereafter the earth is shaking almost on a daily basis and the fear is running deep among the people. Today again a 4.4-magnitude tremor occurred in the region and the epicenter was between Doda and Bhaderwah towns.
This new trend started almost 10 years after similar activity was witnessed in 2013 when on May 1, 2013, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake had hit Doda and for over a month aftershocks kept people outdoors. At that time, people had bought tents and were sleeping in the open to avoid any kind of damage and big houses worth crores were of no use as they were seen as death traps. Though there was no loss of life but property worth billions was either fully or partially damaged and people had to construct their houses again.
Now, when a similar activity has started again people of Chenab Valley see a tough time ahead. It has become the talk of the town how things will unfold if a major earthquake hit the area.
Geologists have time and again said that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir falls in seismic zone 4 (high) and seismic zone 5 (highest) and for over 100 years no major earthquake has hit the area.
“There are chances of a major earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir above 8-magnitude and it can happen any time. But these moderate and low-intensity tremors release the pressure which delays the major earthquake,” Mateen Hafiz, a local geologist said.
Administration on the other hand is only adopting a wait-and-watch policy and no steps have been taken to make people aware of how they can prevent loss if a high-intensity earthquake occurs.
