5.7-magnitude earthquake jolts Ladakh, tremors felt in J&K

January 19, 2026

Jammu & Kashmir: An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale struck on Monday with its epicentre in the Leh area of the Ladakh region. According to Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the local Meteorological Department, the quake occurred at 11.51 a.m. at a depth of 171 km, with coordinates latitude 36.71 north and longitude 74.32 east. Tremors were felt across Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, though no casualties or property damage have been reported so far.

Tremors felt across seismically sensitive region

The shocks were experienced with varying intensity in Ladakh and the Kashmir Valley. Parts of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir fall under seismologically sensitive zones, making the region prone to frequent seismic activity. Authorities are monitoring the situation, and residents have been advised to remain alert.

Region has history of devastating earthquakes

The latest tremor comes amid the region’s history of major earthquakes, including the devastating October 8, 2005 quake of magnitude 7.6 with its epicentre in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. That earthquake caused widespread destruction across PoK, parts of Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring regions, killing tens of thousands and leaving millions homeless, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region’s history.