Dharamshala (HP), 6 June

A series of earthquakes, including a significant tremor measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, shook the Dharamshala region, triggering panic among residents, though no loss of life or major property damage was reported, officials said on Saturday.

The earthquakes struck the region on 5 June, with the strongest occurring at 10.04 pm. Its epicentre was located about 40 kilometres from Dharamshala, between Dhar Ghadoi and R F Kugti in the Dhauladhar ranges along the Kangra-“Chamba border, they said.

The earthquake originated at a depth of 22.5 kilometres and the brief tremor was felt across Kangra, Chamba and adjoining districts. Residents reported strong shaking, and many rushed out of their homes as a precaution.

Seismic activity had begun earlier in the day. At 8.52 am, a mild earthquake measuring 2.3 magnitude was recorded near Minkiani Pass in the Dhauladhar ranges, around 16 kilometres from Dharamshala. The tremor was too weak to be felt by most residents.

Following the 5.0 magnitude quake, two more tremors were recorded later in the night. A 2.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 11.03 pm about 18 kilometres from Dharamshala, followed by a 3.0 magnitude tremor at 11.52 pm near RF Hilang, approximately 23 kilometres from the town.

Kangra district, where Dharamshala is located, falls under Seismic Zone V, the highest earthquake-risk category in India. Earthquakes of magnitude 3 to 4 are generally considered minor and rarely cause structural damage, although they are often felt by residents.

According to seismologists, frequent low-intensity earthquakes in the geologically young Himalayan region may help release accumulated tectonic stress along fault lines. However, experts caution that such activity does not rule out the possibility of a major earthquake in the future.

The tremors have revived memories of the devastating 1905 Kangra earthquake, one of the deadliest in India's history. The earthquake estimated at a magnitude of 7.8, killed more than 20,000 people and destroyed over 100,000 buildings across the region.

The Himalayas are among the world's youngest and most tectonically active mountain ranges. Formed around 50 million years ago due to the collision of Indian and Eurasian plates, the mountain chain continues to rise by nearly one centimetre every year.