A series of earthquakes, including a strong tremor measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, shook the Dharamshala region, causing concern among residents. However, officials said there were no reports of casualties or significant damage to property.
The tremors were recorded on June 5, with the strongest earthquake striking at 10.04 pm. Officials said the epicentre was located nearly 40 kilometres from Dharamshala, between Dhar Ghadoi and R F Kugti in the Dhauladhar ranges along the Kangra-Chamba border.
The earthquake originated at a depth of about 22.5 kilometres beneath the surface. The shaking was felt across Kangra, Chamba and nearby districts. Many residents experienced the tremor and stepped out of their homes as a safety measure.
Seismic activity had started earlier in the day. At 8.52 am, an earthquake measuring 2.3 on the Richter scale was recorded near Minkiani Pass in the Dhauladhar ranges, around 16 km from Dharamshala. The tremor was mild and went largely unnoticed by residents.
After the 5.0 magnitude earthquake, two more tremors were detected later in the night. A 2.8 magnitude quake occurred at 11.03 pm about 18 kilometres from Dharamshala. This was followed by another tremor of magnitude 3.0 at 11.52 pm near RF Hilang, roughly 23 kilometres away from the town.
Dharamshala falls within Kangra district, which is classified under Seismic Zone V, the country's highest earthquake-risk category. Earthquakes measuring between 3 and 4 in magnitude are generally considered minor and seldom result in structural damage, though they are often felt by people in the affected area.
Experts say that frequent low-intensity earthquakes are common in the geologically young Himalayan region. Such tremors may help release some of the stress building up along fault lines. However, seismologists warn that these smaller earthquakes do not eliminate the risk of a larger and more destructive event in the future.
The recent tremors have brought back memories of the devastating Kangra earthquake of 1905, one of the deadliest natural disasters in India's history. Estimated at a magnitude of 7.8, the earthquake claimed more than 20,000 lives and destroyed over 100,000 buildings across the region.
The Himalayas remain one of the youngest and most tectonically active mountain systems in the world. They were formed nearly 50 million years ago when the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided. Scientists say the mountain range is still rising and continues to gain nearly one centimetre in height every year.
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