5.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir

A significant earthquake of magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan, causing tremors that were felt as far away as Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. The epicenter of this quake was located in the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, 418 km northwest of Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg district.

According to NCS, the earthquake occurred at 9:31 p.m. and had a depth of 181 km.

“Earthquake of Magnitude:5.8, Occurred on 05-08-2023, 21:31:48 IST, Lat: 36.38 & Long: 70.77, Depth: 181 Km ,Location: Hindu Kush Region, Afghanistan”, tweeted NCS.

"Earthquake of magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale originated in Afghanistan, tremors felt in Delhi," ANI said in a tweet.

No deaths or injuries were immediately reported.

"The quake hit twice at around 9:30 pm," Preeti Shankar, who stays in a high-rise apartment in Noida on the eastern fringes of the national capital told news agency PTI.

Earlier today, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 rattled Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg. It occurred at around 8:36 am with its depth at around at 129 km, according to NCS.

Afghanistan is no stranger to seismic activity, with an average of 560 deaths per year due to earthquakes. In fact, more than 7,000 people have lost their lives to earthquakes in the country over the past decade.

This came after an earthquake of 4.3 magnitude hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the early hours of August 3, the National Center for Seismology said.

There was no immediate report of any loss of life or damage to property, PTI quoted an official as saying.