Earthquake of 4.8 magnitude hits Jammu and Kashmir, epicentre in Budgam

Public Lokpal
February 02, 2026

Share by

Earthquake of 4.8 magnitude hits Jammu and Kashmir, epicentre in Budgam

New Delhi: An earthquake struck Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning, sending residents rushing outdoors in fear as tremors rippled across the region. As per the details, the quake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale. The quake struck at 5.35 am with its epicentre located in Budgam district at coordinates 33.9°N and 74.76°E, according to primary data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The depth was recorded at 10 kilometres.

At the time of the quake, the epicentre area experienced overcast skies, extremely cold temperatures of minus 0.9 degrees Celsius, high humidity of 95 per cent and a light westerly wind blowing at 1 metre per second. Tremors were felt in nearby regions including Charar-i-Sharief, just 4 kilometres south of the epicenter, Pulwama at 13 kilometres east as well as Srinagar and Shopian which lie 21 kilometres away.

Energy released and possible effects

Experts estimated the release of seismic energy at about 1 x 10^12 joules. This is equivalent to 278 megawatt hours or nearly 239 tons of TNT. While the magnitude was moderate, such energy levels are often strong enough to awaken residents, trigger panic and cause minor disturbances in structures, especially in colder mountainous terrain. The information was first shared publicly by Kashmir Weather.

Quake hits Andaman and Nicobar islands

As per the National Centre for Seismology, another earthquake was felt in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday morning. The tremors struck at 3.31 am with a magnitude of 4.6 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was located in the Nicobar region at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Why do earthquakes occur?

Earthquakes occur due to the movement of seven major tectonic plates that make up the Earth's crust. These plates keep drifting within their respective zones. At times, they collide along fault lines which leads to friction and the release of energy. This energy then finds a way out, resulting in the shaking of the ground that we experience as an earthquake.