A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck Himachal Pradesh early Wednesday morning, with tremors felt in Shimla and several other areas. The earthquake occurred at around 5:46 am, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at around 5:46 am on Wednesday. Its epicentre was reported about 66 kilometres east-southeast of Shimla, while the depth was recorded at around 10 kilometres below the ground.
Local residents said the tremors were felt for around three seconds. Several people came out of their homes and buildings and moved to open spaces after the ground began shaking.The earthquake caused concern among residents for a short period. After the tremors stopped, some people remained in open areas for some time before returning home once the situation became normal.
The administration monitored the situation following the earthquake. Initial reports did not indicate any major damage, building collapse or injuries.
The tremors were also reported from several areas of Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and Mandi districts. As the earthquake’s epicentre was located east-southeast of Shimla, tremors were also reported in the direction of the Jubbal-Kotkhai area.
Himachal Pradesh is geographically among the states considered sensitive to earthquakes. Several areas of the state fall under seismic zones 4 and 5, which are considered high-risk areas for earthquakes. Seismic activity is therefore recorded periodically in the state.
The impact of an earthquake depends on several factors, including its depth, the location of its epicentre, local geological conditions and the strength of buildings. Lower-magnitude earthquakes generally have a lower likelihood of causing large-scale damage, although shallow earthquakes can be felt more bly at the local level.
According to experts, earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or below are called micro earthquakes and are often not felt by people. As magnitude increases, the intensity of shaking and the potential risk of damage can also increase. Earthquakes of around magnitude 4.5 or above can sometimes affect buildings and weak structures.
However, magnitude alone is not sufficient to estimate the potential damage from an earthquake. The depth of the earthquake and the distance of its epicentre from populated areas also play an important role.
