Earthquake reported in North India, Pakistan, Afghanistan

source: US Govt earthquake service

Parts of North India experienced an earthquake at around 12:06 pm today.

Reports indicated that the region from Jammu & Kashmir to Delhi felt the tremors.

Other areas that felt the tremors are Chandigarh and Punjab. There are also reports that people in Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan also felt the impact of the earthquake.

“It was a category 5 quake with its epicenter in Hindukush in Afghanistan,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet, the weather agency.

The intensity is estimated at 6.1 on the Richter scale.

Palawat said the extent of damage to human lives and property will depend on whether the eipcenter fell in a populated region, or in a non-populated region.

“Given that the intensity becomes lower with distance, we don’t expect any damage in India,” he added.

There have been no reports of damage in Kabul or in Islamabad, both of which were shaken by the impact. However, newschannels in Pakistan reported sporadic casualties.

Going by the fact that the tremors were felt in three countries, it is likely that the earthquake will be counted among the not-so-minor ones.