Srinagar, May 2: Kashmir may appear calm on the surface, but experts say the region is sitting on a serious seismic risk that cannot be ignored.
A leading earth scientist and Vice Chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology, Shakil Ahmad Romshoo warned that nearly 99 per cent of residential houses in Srinagar are not earthquake-resistant, making the city highly vulnerable in the event of a major tremor.
“Kashmir is not just earthquake-prone—it is one major quake away from large-scale devastation,” Romshoo said, pointing to the fragile Himalayan terrain that has historically witnessed powerful seismic activity.
With construction booming across Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, experts say safety standards have not kept pace.
“In Srinagar alone, there are around 2.5 lakh houses. Nearly 99 per cent are unsafe in terms of earthquake resilience,” he said.
What makes the situation more worrying, he added, is that the risk is largely preventable.
