Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 3: Yet another earthquake of moderate intensity and several aftershocks shook the twin districts of Kishtwar and Doda causing severe damage to around 100 more houses besides further aggravating the damages suffered during the previous tremors. In the earthquake, six persons including four jawans of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) also sustained severe injuries.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, earthquake of moderate intensity having depth of 10 kilometers hit Kishtwar and Doda districts at around 3.04 am. The latitude of the earthquake was 33.5 degree North and longitude 75.8 degree East and its epicenter was Kishtwar area. From 3.04 am till this afternoon, even several aftershocks of slight intensity also hit the area prompting the people to remain out of their houses.
Stating that intensity of the earthquake was more severe in Kishtwar district as compared to Doda, official sources said that around 100 more houses suffered severe damages in the Kishtwar district during the overnight tremors besides aggravating the condition of those houses, which suffered damages during the earthquake of May 1 and August 2.
Due to earthquake, six persons including four jawans of CISF and one of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) sustained injuries and had to be hospitalized. The SSB jawan namely Jishad M M sustained grievous injuries as he jumped from the first floor of the District Police Lines building when the earthquake shook the complex.
The other injured have been identified as S Mandal, son of P Mandal, S K Singh, son of Nagender Singh, Amit Kumar, son of Ram Dillan and Giri Sarveshwar, all CISF jawans posted in Dul Hasti Power Project, and civilian Om Parkash, son of Hari Chand.
Since the condition of Om Parkash and SSB jawan was serious, the district administration got them referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for specialized treatment. Their condition was stated to be out of danger when reports last came in.
The earthquake also triggered landslide near the Kishtwar town and caused severe damage to the water supply scheme, the only source of providing drinking water to the town and its adjoining areas. Since the damage was huge, the water supply could not be restored till this evening. Though power supply too got snapped following the earthquake yet the same was restored.
The inhabitants of Kishtwar district particularly the people whose houses had suffered damages in the past and in overnight tremors have completely been in the grip of panic and spend night in the open sky or in the safe building for the safety of their lives.
Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Saleem Choudhary, who visited various areas to take stock of the damages caused by the tremors, got around 90 tents released for those people, who were reluctant to return to their houses. Earlier, in the morning he issued orders for keeping all the educational institutions closed in view of the panicky situation.
When contacted, he said, “during the preliminary reports we have come to know that around 100 more houses have suffered damages. The reports are still pouring in from different parts of the district and this figure may go up”.
Though there was neither any loss or life or injuries to anyone due to overnight earthquake in Doda district yet cracks in the already damaged houses have widened further and created panic among the people.
“We have constituted disaster management cells at district, tehsil and block levels so that any assistance under the available resources could be extended to the people in case of any disaster”, Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Mubarak Singh, said when contacted.
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