The earthquake in Uttarakhand had a depth of 33 km (Representational)
An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the richter scale hit Uttarakhand today close to 5 pm. The earthquake which originated in the Chamoli district was felt across the state, especially in Rudraprayag.
The 4.7 magnitude earthquake has been reported to have a depth of 33 km which eliminates the possibility of damage to life and property, MeT Office director Vikram Singh told news agency Press Trust of India. The earthquake has been termed as one of "slight" intensity.
According to Vikram Singh, the earthquake struck around 4:45 PM.
This is the
third earthquake in Uttarakhand this month, with two quakes hitting the state in early December. On December 6,
an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck Uttarakhand, with its epicenter in Rudraprayag. The "moderate" intensity earthquake shook the whole state and tremors were felt as far as the Delhi-NCR region.
Only a day before the Rudraprayag earthquake, another earthquake of 3.3 magnitude had struck the state.
In November, scientists participating at a two-day national workshop on disaster resilient infrastructure in the Himalayas said there was a
high possibility of a devastating earthquake in Uttarakhand.
Noting that Utttarakhand was in the Central Seismic Gap where a high probability exists of a major earthquake, they said it was imperative for disaster mitigation agencies and the state government to take proactive steps for the amelioration of any impending disaster.
The last major earthquake struck Uttarakhand at least 600 years ago.
Scientists in the workshop also spoke about the extra care that needs to be taken for the design of structures in hill slopes and the implications of wrong design or construction practices. They also stressed on the requirement of specific construction guidelines for hilly regions.