Low intensity quake shakes Kashmir

Srinagar, May 10 (IANS) A light intensity tremor shook the Kashmir Valley late on Wednesday night, jolting many locals out of their sleep, the met office here said Thursday.

Sonam Lotus, director of the local meteorological office told IANS: "A light intensity earthquake occurred at 11.35 p.m. last night. The magnitude of the quake was 3.4 on the Richter scale while its coordinates were 74.5 degrees east and 34.3 degrees north."

The epicentre of the quake was in Jammu and Kashmir region.

Despite being a light intensity quake, it jolted many people out of their sleep.

"I was fast asleep when the tremor occurred. There was some disturbing sound that occurred with the tremor. I ran out of the room," said Manzoor Bilal, a resident of Buchpora locality in the city.

Geologically, the valley is situated in a seismic zone that is prone to earthquakes.

Roger Bilham, a US earth scientist, has said that a major earthquake is scientifically "overdue in the region that could result in widespread devastation".

A massive quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale rocked Kashmir Oct 8, 2005 killing more than 40,000 people living on the two sides of the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir into Indian and Pakistan parts.