Quake jolts north India, J&K

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to offer assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan, which witnessed dozens of deaths and large-scale devastation.

People took to streets out of fear after an earthquake hit Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Monday.

A massive earthquake of 7.7 magnitude shook north India on Monday afternoon, with reports of damages coming from several parts. Jammu and Kashmir was badly hit with large-scale damage to public property and private infrastructure.

The tremors saw buildings shaking in New Delhi, the National Capital Region (NCR), Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir around 2.30 p.m.

The quake, with its epicentre in the Hindukush region of Afghanistan and 196 km deep, was centred 82 km southeast of Feyzabad, according to the National Centre for Seismology, a unit of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Modi offers help

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to offer assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan, which witnessed dozens of deaths and large-scale devastation.

“Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone’s safety. I have asked for an urgent assessment and we stand ready for assistance ,” the PM said on Twitter.

People were scurrying for cover and the Metro services were brought to a halt in New Delhi.

CM runs for cover

Panic gripped Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was seen running for cover amidst an ongoing state function. The quake, which stayed for more than two minutes, saw special security personnel pulling Mr. Sayeed off his seat during a function at Srinagar’s Tagore Hall. One Muhammad Ashraf of Batho village in Reasi district in Jammu died after hitting a rock. Several structures were damaged in the Chenab Valley’s Rajouri district too.

Two women, in their 60s, reportedly died following heart attack and many were left injured due to collapsing of structures in the Valley. Two soldiers were injured in north Kashmir’s Sopore area when a bunker caved in.

“Seven houses were partially damaged in Anantnag district,” said Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Muneer-ul-Islam.

He said one woman died following heart attack and two others received injuries at Vessu.

Dozens of people were reported injured in Srinagar and north Kashmir.

The quake also triggered panic among people in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Faridabad, Panchkula, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Bhiwani. Mild tremors were experienced in parts of Uttar Pradesh. Quake was also felt in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Sikar.

(With inputs from PTI)