DEHRADUN: An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale jolted Dehradun on Sunday night. The quake's epicentre was located 5 kilometers beneath the ground in the city.
District Disaster Management Officer Rishabh Kumar said that mild earthquake tremors were felt in some areas of the capital city, but the quake's low intensity, caused no damage. However, he said officials will remain vigilant for the next 3-4 days.
Geologists caution that a mild tremor does not necessarily predetermine a major earthquake, but nor can the possibility be ruled out. Instead, the slight jolt serves as a mild reminder and a call to be better prepared.
"A mild earthquake is a practical reminder for preparedness and to be equipped for the future," Dr. Ajay Pal a retired seismology and earthquake engineering scientist from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology told TNIE.
Uttarakhand falls under the high-seismic zone five, which includes most parts of Rudraprayag district, along with Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi districts. Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Champawat, Haridwar, Pauri, and Almora fall under Zone 4 of the earthquake-prone area. Some areas of Dehradun and Tehri districts are under zone 4, while others fall under the high-seismic zone 5.
Experts attribute the frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region to the collision of the Indo-European plate, leading to continuous release of energy from beneath the earth's surface.
According to records, most earthquakes have been recorded in high-seismic zones, indicating a persistent stress build-up in the region's geology.