EARTHQUAKE of 5.7 magnitude hits Leh Ladakh, govt issues advisory

EARTHQUAKE: The Northwestern Kashmir region was jolted by an earthquake of magnitude 5.7 on the Richter scale on Sunday. According to the National Center for Seismology, the quake originated at 11:51:14 am, with the epicentre located in the Leh Ladakh region. The depth of the quake was 171 km. The tremors originated from Leh–Ladakh region and are part of the Himalayan belt. Notably, Himalayan belt is seismically very active due to the tectonic plates.

EQ of M: 5.7, On: 19/01/2026 11:51:14 IST, Lat: 36.71 N, Long: 74.32 E, Depth: 171 Km, Location: Leh, Ladakh.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) January 19, 2026

“EQ of M: 5.7, On: 19/01/2026 11:51:14 IST, Lat: 36.71 N, Long: 74.32 E, Depth: 171 Km, Location: Leh, Ladakh.” The NCS tweeted.

According to the latest reports, there were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage. District authorities are monitoring the situation, cautioning of the possible aftershocks.

It is to be noted that the seismic activity comes after a separate 4.1 quake that struck Afghanistan. These frequent tremors heightened seismic activity in the broader region.

Shallow Earthquakes Are More Dangerous

According to scientists who keep an eye on seismic activities, shallow earthquakes are more dangerous and can cause more damage on land than the deeper ones. The seismic waves of the shallow quakes travel less distance before reaching the surface, resulting to major ground shaking.

It is worth mentioning that Afghanistan has experienced several earthquakes in recent weeks. The recent one, with a magnitude of 4.2, struck the country on January 15. The depth was 98 km. On January 14, a 3.8-magnitude quake hit Afghanistan with a depth of 90 km.

(Note: This is a developing story and further details will be added.)