A mild earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Himachal Pradesh early Wednesday morning. The sudden tremors prompted residents in several areas to rush out of their homes as a precautionary measure. According to official data, no loss of life or damage to property has been reported from any location across the state.
Time of Occurrence and Epicenter Details
Data from the National Center for Seismology indicates that the seismic event took place precisely at 5:46:50 AM. The epicenter was located approximately 66 kilometers east-south of Shimla, at a focal depth of 10 kilometers beneath the earth's surface. The seismic point was aligned in the direction of Jubbal-Kotkhai. The vibrations lasted for nearly 3 seconds, awakening residents who were asleep and leading many to share their experiences on social media platforms.
Districts Affected Across the State
The impact of the earthquake was not limited to Shimla alone. Shaking was also reported across various localities in the districts of Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur, and Mandi. Because the quake occurred during the early hours of the morning, many residents were still resting, while others immediately alerted neighbors and headed to safe open spots outside their residences.
Seismic Risk Profile of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh remains highly vulnerable to seismic activity due to its geological positioning in the Himalayan range. Under the national seismic zoning map, key regions such as Shimla and Mandi fall within high-risk Zone-4 and Zone-5 categories. Generally, earthquakes registering a magnitude below 5.0 carry a low risk of widespread structural damage or destruction. Prior to this event, tremors were also recorded in the Chamba and Kangra regions of the state.
