Quake in Kashmir resulted huge damage to property

Srinagar: On Monday afternoon, the massive earthquake, epicentred in Afghanistan, that rocked Jammu and Kashmir has caused huge damage to property across the Valley while there were no reports of casualties so far.

Cracks took place in most multi-storeyed public and private buildings and a flyover here, while there were reports of major damage to dozens of government and private buildings in Badgam, Anantnag, Baramulla, Pulwama, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.

People in the entire Valley abandoned offices, business places and homes and ran out into the open in order to avoid being caught in building collapses. Traffic came to stop halt in the Valley as vehicles started swinging on shaking roads during the tremor.

Even an hour after the quake occurred at 2.40 p.m., people did not go into the buildings due to the fears aftershocks.

“We are collecting information on loss of life and damaged to public and private property from across the Valley.

a senior officer of the provincial administration here said, “Reports about damages to public and property are tentative, but given the magnitude of the earthquake, we are keeping fingers crossed”.

The earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale attacked Jammu and Kashmir Monday with epicenter in the Hindukush mountain region of Afghanistan.