The three-and-a-half magnitude (3.5) earthquake that hit Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand was also followed by panic on the part of the people who fled their houses in fear of severe tremors. The quake was also reported at the early hours of the day, and this made the region shake slightly but was not felt.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) indicated that the depth of the earthquake was approximately 10 kilometres and the epicentre of the earthquake was in and around Bageshwar. People could clearly feel the tremors, particularly in the residential places, due to the shallow depth and this created chaos in the moment.
Citizens reported sudden vibration, rattling doors, and shaking furniture, which made many of them leave their houses and move to open areas. Some locals reported that the tremors had caused them to wake up and that they feared the occurrence of the aftershocks. But the panic did not last long because the shaking ceased.
None of the casualties or any significant property damage has been reported up to now. According to the officials in the district administration and disaster management department, they are keeping a close eye on the situation, and they advise the residents to be calm. This has been done by keeping emergency teams on high alert just in case.
Governments also urged the population to adhere to common earthquake precautions, such as avoiding poorly built structures, staying off windows that have glass, and relocating to open spaces should there be further tremors. People have been encouraged against rumour spreading and to trust nothing but the official information.
Uttarakhand is a region with very active seismic activity, as it is situated in the Himalayan region where there is a collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. This has led to low to moderate-intensity earthquakes in the state on a regular basis. Although the majority of these tremors do not result in severe damage, most are characterized by panic due to the weak geography in the state and the high population density in hilly regions.
The earthquake door was opened already with the numerous warnings, by seismologists, on the subject of the instability of the Himalayan belt, which, together with the disaster preparedness and the earthquake-proof construction, needs implementation to be taken into account. The authorities indicated that awareness and preparedness are major factors towards reducing risks in such areas.
The administration is still evaluating the situation and has urged residents to remain vigilant towards possible aftershocks whose occurrences have not yet been reported. Things are under control, and normalcy has mostly reigned in Bageshwar and its surroundings.
