Earthquake: Earthquakes that hit Kangra district in Himachal, know its intensity on the Richter scale

[ad_1]

earthquake shocks in kangra Photo: Ammar Ojala

expansion

People felt an earthquake in Kangra district amidst heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh. The earthquake was felt at around 5:49 pm on Saturday. The intensity of the earthquake was 3 on the Richter scale, and its epicenter was at a depth of five kilometers inside the earth. There were no reports of damage from the earthquake.

More than 20,000 people were killed in the earthquake of 1905. Himachal is located in the fourth and fifth seismic zone from the point of view of the earthquake. Kangra, Chamba, Lahaul, Kullu and Mandi districts are the most prone to earthquakes. More than 20,000 people perished in Kangra early in the morning of April 4, 1905, in an earthquake of magnitude 7.8. Nearly one lakh buildings were destroyed by the earthquake, while more than 53,000 head of livestock fell victim to the quake.

How do earthquakes happen? The main cause of earthquakes is the collision of plates inside the Earth. There are seven plates inside the Earth that keep rotating constantly. When these plates collide at some point, a fault line area is formed there and the surface angles are folded. Due to the curvature of the surface, pressure builds up there and the plates begin to fracture. Because of these plates breaking, the energy inside finds a way out, due to which the earth shakes and we perceive it as an earthquake.

earthquake intensity

Earthquakes with an intensity of less than 2.0 on the Richter scale are classified as small earthquakes and cannot be felt. 8,000 small-scale earthquakes are recorded every day around the world. Similarly, earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 to 2.9 on the Richter scale are kept in the minor category. 1,000 such earthquakes happen every day, and we don’t usually feel them. Very mild earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 to 3.9 on the Richter scale are recorded 49,000 times a year. They felt it, but they hardly ever did any harm. Light-class earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 4.0 to 4.9 on the Richter scale occur about 6,200 times a year all over the world. These tremors were felt and household items were seen moving. However, they do little or no harm.

[ad_2]