Residents of Chamba district were jolted awake on Wednesday morning as two back-to-back earthquakes struck the region, intensifying concerns amid ongoing monsoon devastation.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the first tremor, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, occurred at 3:27 AM IST at a depth of 20 kilometres. Just over an hour later, a second quake of magnitude 4.0 hit at 4:39 AM IST, with a shallower depth of 10 kilometres.
The twin seismic events come as Himachal Pradesh reels under heavy monsoon damage. Since June 20, over 276 people have lost their lives due to rain-related disasters, including landslides, flash floods, and road accidents. Infrastructure damage has been extensive, with more than 1,100 homes destroyed and over 27,000 livestock lost.
Local authorities have urged residents to remain alert and follow safety advisories. No casualties have been reported from the earthquakes so far, but officials are monitoring the situation closely.
