An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shook parts of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand in the wee hours today. The quake occurred at 12:47 am and was felt in some parts of the northern region.
Though some houses developed cracks in Barkot area of Uttarkashi, there were no reports of any major damage to life and property in the region which was the epicentre of the devastating 1991 earthquake that left hundreds of people dead.
In Chandigarh, officials said there were no reports of loss of life or property anywhere in Punjab and Haryana.
The tremors triggered panic in a lot of areas particularly in Yamuna Valley area of Uttarakhand with people coming out of their homes.
“We were very scared and virtually remained sleepless all through the night,” said Mr S.D. Ghildyal, a resident of Uttarkashi district.