Roundup: Experts ring alarm bells over disaster preparedness for earthquake in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Two days ago when a moderate earthquake jolted Indian-controlled Kashmir, Bashir Ahmad Mir, a resident in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, came outside running in the bone-chilling cold, holding his 15-month daughter to his chest.

Frightened Mir murmured prayers as walls of his house were shaking to creaking sounds and clambered down the stairs from first floor of his two-storied house located in the congested old city.

Once outside, Mir saw other members of his family following him.

"All I could do is get hold of my daughter and rush outside in open," Mir said.

Like Mir's family, thousands of residents across Indian-controlled Kashmir came rushing outside in the freezing temperature early Saturday, fearing the walls of their houses would collapse.

The Indian Meteorological Department said the earthquake of 6.5 magnitude and its epicentre was in Hindukush region of Afghanistan located at 36.5 degrees north latitude and 71.2 degrees east longitude.

This was the second earthquake above 6 on scale in the past two months that scared residents out of their houses.

Prior to Saturday's earthquake, a major earthquake measuring 7.5 hit the region on Oct. 26.

Although none was killed from the falling debris of buildings or houses in these two earthquakes, five deaths (three in October and two on Saturday) reported due to the "earthquake-induced cardiac arrests".

However, experts have started to press alarm buttons over the "non-existent" disaster planning in the region and predict a colossal damage.

"Unfortunately the science has not advanced to the extent that we can predict the timing, place and magnitude of an earthquake. However, based on the vulnerability assessment and seismic gap analysis, it is predicted with high probability that a major earthquake might strike the region in our lifetimes," Professor Shakil Romshoo said.

"Keeping in view our non-existent disaster planning and the utter lack of the culture of disaster preparedness at various levels - individual, community and government, the large earthquake may cause damage to human life and infrastructure in the region beyond our comprehension."

Romshoo is the head of department of Earth Sciences at Kashmir University in Srinagar and has been vocal about the government's failure regarding disaster preparedness.

Geologists say Indian-controlled Kashmir is located in a zone of high seismic activity.

Srinagar falls in Seismic Zone-V and other parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir in Seismic Zone IV.

Ramshoo urges residents to prepare themselves for the calamity.

"We all need to introspect and examine our readiness to protect ourselves in the event of such a disaster," he said.

"I urge all sections of the society to begin individual preparedness by creating personal preparedness plans and prepare disaster kits containing essential medicines, torch, helmet, water, small food items etc. so that we can create a community of disaster conscious citizenry."

According to Ramshoo, the region's disaster management authority has a very vital role to play in making the state disaster resilient.

"I hope that somebody in the government realizes that the need to be better prepared is urgent," he said.

Engineers say unplanned constructions going on in the region were worrisome.

"We have constructions going on in the region at massive scale but hardly anyone follows the norms to make houses earthquake-resistant," Ajaz Ahmad, a structural engineer said.

"Majority of buildings are prone to collapse due to their weak structures except some government owned that have strictly being built keeping in view the earthquake guidelines."

A high intensity quake of 7.4 magnitude with its epicentre in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir shook the region on Oct. 8, 2005. causing large scale destruction and killing 80,000 people. Endit