Earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir | 14 Nov 2024

Why in News?

Recently, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 struck Jammu and Kashmir, but no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

• The earthquake originated in the Afghanistan region, with its tremors reaching the Kashmir Valley.

Key Points

• An earthquake is a natural phenomenon characterised by a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth's rocks.
• The vibrations called seismic waves are generated from earthquakes that travel through the Earth and are recorded on instruments called seismographs.
  • The location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter.