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An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 hit the Kashmir Valley early on Monday, causing panic among the people in Pattan and surrounding areas of Baramulla district, officials said. There were no reports of any damage so far, they said. According to the National Centre for Seismology, the quake occurred at 5.35 am at a depth of 10 km with the epicentre in Pattan area, which is 10 km northeast of Gulmarg, a tourist resort. Earlier, the magnitude was the earthquake was said to be 4.6 but it was later reviewed to 4.7. Tremors lasted nearly 20 seconds. The Kashmir Valley is located in an highly active seismic area. The National Seismic Hazard Map by the Bureau of Indian Standards released in November last year has placed the entire Himalayan arc, including Kashmir, in the siesmic Zone VI. Large parts of Kashmir on either side of Line of Control were flattened by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on October 8, 2005, resulting in death of thousands and widespread damage to infrastructure.
Six people died due to harsh cold weather in Nepal's earthquake-hit Karnali province, police said on Wednesday. According to local authorities, several families continue to live under makeshift tents as their residences were completely damaged by the earthquake on November 3. Among the most vulnerable to the harsh conditions are children, new mothers, patients with chronic illnesses, and the elderly population. The six deaths took place in the West Rukum district of the province on Tuesday, according to the police. While five people in the Aathbiskot Municipality, one died in the Sanobheri Rural Municipality. Most of those killed were elderly people between the ages of 60 to 80. All six individuals had taken refuge under makeshift tents as their homes were rendered uninhabitable by the destructive earthquake that hit the district earlier this month. The Jajarkot and the West Rukum districts were hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on November 3, in which at least 154 people were ki