Residents of Kishanganj felt minor earthquake on Friday.
Residents of Kishanganj felt minor earthquake on Friday.
Patna, August 9: The residents of Kishanganj district in Bihar came out of their homes after experiencing a minor earthquake on Friday morning.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter scale, had its epicenter in Soreng, Sikkim about 10 KM below the surface.
Due to the relatively low intensity of the quake, there was no report of casualty or damage to property in the region. This has created some panic among the residents. Despite the fear of aftershocks, it appears that the situation remained calm after the initial tremor.
According to the National Center of Seismology, the quake came at 6.57 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Why tremors Occur: The earth is made up of four primary layers such as the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. The outermost layer called the crust, is around 50 KM thick and is divided into several large and small pieces called tectonic plates.
These plates are constantly in motion due to the forces exerted by the semi-fluid layer beneath them, known as the mantle. The movement is usually very slow and continuous, but sometimes the plates can get struck due to friction.
When the stress on the edge of these plates overcomes the friction holding them together, it causes a sudden release of energy. This energy radiates outwards in the form of seismic waves, which we experience as an earthquake.
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The point within the earth where this release occurs is called the focus or hypocenter and the location directly above it on the surface is known as the epicenter.
The intensity of a quake is measured using the Richter scale, a logarithmic scale ranging from 1 to 9 and beyond. The scale qualifies the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. The process involves measuring the amplitude of the seismic waves generated by the quake, which is recorded by instruments called seismographs.
The Richter Scale expresses the energy release in a numerical form.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 1-2 a generally not felt by people and is recorded only by seismographs. 3-4 often felt but rarely caused damage. 5-6 can cause damage to buildings and infrastructure especially if the structures are not designed to withstand earthquakes. 7 and above causes significant damage and can result in a large number of casualties depending on the location and depth of the earthquake.
falls in the minor category. It causes mild vibrations. 5.5 to 6 is mildly dangerous. It causes less damage. If the intensity is 6 to 7, then it is a dangerous earthquake. Whereas 7 to 7.09 is considered very dangerous. Buildings can collapse. An earthquake of more than 8 to 9 causes devastation. A tsunami occurs in the area near the sea. It is more dangerous.
EOM.