5.4 magnitude quake hits Doda, tremors felt in parts of north India

STATE TIMES NEWS

Doda: A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit Doda in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon, forcing people in parts of the union territory to rush out of their homes in panic and causing damage to some buildings, officials said.

Azad urges Govt to support those affected by earthquake in Doda
Srinagar: Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday urged the government to ensure the proper treatment for all those injured in the Earthquake in Doda district and a proper compensation to those who suffered damage to their property.
Azad said that it was a natural calamity that inflicted huge damage to the properties of people besides so many have been injured. ” It is a national emergency where the government must be on toes and provide all the support for specialized treatment to the injured. At the same time those who lost their homes must be provided alternative accommodation,” he said. Azad said that the government must assess the damage and compensate the losses to the affected people. However, Azad also urged his party workers to reach out to all those affected people and provide all the possible support to the affected families. “I share the sufferings of all the people who suffered in this devastating earthquake. Me and my party stands by all of you,” he said.

The tremors were felt across Delhi and other parts of north India, and in neighbouring Pakistan.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said the 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck the region at 1:33 pm. Its epicentre was in Doda.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 6 kilometres, it said.
In Doda’s Bhaderwah town, a few buildings developed cracks due to the tremors.
The false ceiling of a ward of the sub-district hospital collapsed.
Some of the debris fell on patients recuperating in the hospital ward, an official said.
The patients have been moved to safety and are being treated in an emergency ward of the hospital, he said.
Azim Malik, a resident of Ghata Bhaderwah, said his house was damaged due to the tremors.
“It was a strong earthquake and cracks have developed in my house,” Malik told PTI.
Panic-stricken schoolchildren gathered in fields in the Bhaderwah valley and teachers were seen consoling a few of them who were sobbing.
Officials in Doda said they are assessing the damage caused by the earthquake.
Tremors were also felt in Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, about 150 km from Doda.
“Things in my kitchen were shaking due to the tremors,” said Nandini, a resident of Shimla.
The earthquake was also felt in parts of Punjab and Haryana but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property.
“The tremors were mild and I felt them while I was sitting on a chair,” said Baldev Chand, a resident of Chandigarh.
Deputy Commissioner Doda, Vishesh Mahajan and SSP, Abdul Qayoom visited Sub District Bhaderwah and Parts of district HQ at Doda to assess the damages caused due to the earthquake that shook the area today.
It was informed that there were no reports of loss of life from any part of the district. However, some houses/ buildings have developed cracks due to heavy jolt of the earthquake.
Some partial/ minor damages have been noticed in some government and Private buildings in the Tehsil. Some minor cracks were also reported in government and private buildings from Gandoh, Thathri and other areas .
All the ADCs, SDMs, Tehsildars, and Police officers are on high alert and are in continuous touch with public,
PRIs, Lumbardars and Chowkidars, are assessing the situation and reporting to the higher authorities.
The DC has urged the public not to panic and stay vigilant and report to the concerned ADC, SDM, Tehsildar or Control room of DC office in case of any eventuality.