Earthquake News: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 struck Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh on Friday night, with strong tremors felt across several districts including Shimla, Kangra, Kullu and Chamba. The tremors were also felt in parts of Punjab, including Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Jalandhar, prompting people to rush out of their homes in panic.
Tremors Jolt Himachal, Punjab
According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the tremor occurred at 10:04 pm. The earthquake was recorded at a shallow depth of just 5 km, which caused stronger shaking in nearby areas. However, there are no immediate reports of any loss of life or property from either Himachal Pradesh or Punjab so far. Authorities are monitoring the situation and further details are awaited.
Resident Describes Terrifying Experience
A resident of Dharamshala described the earthquake as a terrifying experience, saying people were frightened as strong tremors shook the region. He stated that everyone rushed out of their homes immediately as the shaking intensified. "It was a terrifying experience; we were absolutely petrified. Everyone rushed outside immediately...It felt as though the building was about to collapse. It was an intense tremor, the most powerful one I’ve ever experienced in my life," the resident told ANI.
Experts believe that earthquakes occurring at shallow depths are felt more intensely. This explains why the 5.0 magnitude earthquake was clearly felt across a large part of the state. While most earthquakes recorded in Himachal Pradesh over the past two decades have ranged between magnitude 2 and 4 on the Richter scale, the tremor on Friday night was relatively more intense.
Notably, Kangra is among the most earthquake-prone regions in the country and falls under Seismic Zone-5. In 1905, Kangra had experienced a devastating earthquake, causing massive destruction across the region. The earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, had claimed around 20,000 lives and destroyed thousands of buildings