Five back-to-back earthquakes jolt J&K, Ladakh within 24 hours

At least five low-intensity earthquakes jolted several parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in quick succession on Saturday (June 17) and Sunday morning. No casualties, however, have been reported.

According to Met department sources, the first one of 3.0 magnitude was reported at 2.03 pm in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Saturday.

Also read: Jammu: 4 fresh earthquakes jolt the region, create panic

An official of the meteorological department said the epicentre of the 3.0 magnitude tremor, which occurred at 2.03 pm, was hilly Ramban district along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. He said the depth of the earthquake was 5 km below the surface at a latitude of 33.31 degrees north and a longitude of 75.19 degrees east.

The second tremor of the magnitude of 4.5, the highest of the five, was felt 271 km northeast of Leh, Ladakh. According to the National Center for Seismology, the tremor was felt at 9.44 pm and its epicentre was 271 km north-east of Leh. The depth of the earthquake was 10 km below the surface at a latitude of 35.74 degrees north and a longitude of 79.84 degrees east.

Also read: 5.4 magnitude earthquake strikes J-K, sends tremors across north India

Another of 4.4 magnitude was reported within 15 minutes in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. The earthquake, which had a depth of 18 km with a latitude of 33.04 North and a longitude of 75.70 degrees east, hit Doda district around 9.55 pm, Met department officials said. This was the seventh earthquake in Doda district over the past five days.

Another quake of the magnitude of 4.1 struck near the Indo-China border, 295 km northeast of Leh district in Ladakh on Sunday morning while the fifth one was reported from Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. The last one had a magnitude of 4.1 and occurred at 3.50 am on Sunday, 80 km east of Katra at a depth of 11 km.

Also read: Melbourne earthquake 2023: Are they becoming more common?