Srinagar, Oct 22 — Residents in several parts of Kashmir rushed outdoors late Monday night after tremors rippled through the Valley. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported a 5.0-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan at 11:44 pm, with mild shaking felt across Srinagar, Pulwama, Baramulla and Anantnag.
The quake’s epicentre lay 88 kilometres southeast of Fayzabad in northeastern Afghanistan, at a depth of 220 kilometres—deep within the Hindu Kush mountain range. Its coordinates were recorded as 36.49°N and 71.18°E.
Experts say earthquakes that occur deep under the Hindu Kush frequently send vibrations across the subcontinent because of how seismic waves behave underground. “The Indian plate is pushing beneath the Eurasian plate in this region. When stress releases suddenly, it generates shockwaves that travel through the Earth’s crust like ripples in water,” explained a senior seismologist at the NCS.
Since Monday’s quake originated deep beneath the surface, the energy spread widely before fading. “At great depths, the seismic waves have longer wavelengths and less frictional loss. They travel farther and can be felt in distant regions like Kashmir, Delhi or even Uttar Pradesh,” said a geology researcher from the University of Kashmir.
The Valley’s own topography amplifies the sensation. Srinagar sits on soft alluvial deposits laid by the Jhelum River, which tend to trap and magnify ground motion. “That’s why people in Kashmir often feel a slow, rolling motion even when the epicentre is far away,” the researcher added.
No casualties or damage were reported from Monday’s tremors, but the late-night shaking revived memories of past earthquakes, including the devastating 2005 Muzaffarabad quake that struck the same tectonic zone. “I woke up when my bed began to sway,” said Shazia, a resident of Bemina. “It lasted only a few seconds but it was frightening.”
Officials said Kashmir’s location in Seismic Zone V—the highest category of risk in India—makes it crucial for residents to stay prepared. “These deep quakes remind us that the entire Himalayan region remains seismically active. Preparedness is the only safeguard,” the NCS official noted.
