Srinagar, Sep 23: Experts
have suggested building of earthquake resistant constructions as
Kashmir reported 140 earthquakes in the last one decade.
On
Tuesday evening, panicked residents rushed out of their homes after
strong jolts were felt in Kashmir. The National Centre for Seismology
said that the quake occurred at a depth of 5 km from the surface at 9.40
pm.
Kashmir has been witnessing
frequent earthquakes. As per the details of Meteorological Department
Kashmir accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service that over
140 earthquakes have been reported in the last one decade.
Kashmir felt tremors seven times in 2011, 11 earthquakes in 2012, 25 in 2013, and 19 in 2014.
The earthquakes were recorded highest number in 2015 in the decade when Kashmir was jolted 27 times.
Kashmir
is vulnerable to disasters. At least 13 districts out of 100 districts
in India have been identified as ‘multi hazard districts’.
According
to the Indian Meteorological Department, most parts of Kashmir covering
the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora,
Budgam, Anantnag and parts of Jammu region, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar come
under Seismic Zone V and are prone to earthquakes. While the rest part
of the state comes under Seismic Zone IV.
Director
Meteorological Department, Sonam Lotus, said people should be well
prepared to deal with disasters. “People should build earthquake
resistant constructions in Kashmir,” Lotus added.
Bashir Ahmad, a research scholar of Earth Sciences said people should be well prepared for earthquakes.
“We can’t predict the timing, but we can prevent loss of life and property,” he added.
The
state cabinet approved the Disaster Management Plan in July 2015, when
late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had been chief minister of J&K.
The
government had said that it was an effort to reduce the vulnerability
to hazards and cope with disasters and natural calamities in a more
effective manner. However, an official said that the government has done
“little” to deal with disasters.(KINS)
