Leh, Aug 13: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck Leh in Ladakh early Thursday morning, triggering tremors across the region, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
The earthquake occurred at 6:05 am at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, with the epicentre located at 36.881°N latitude and 74.402°E longitude, the NCS said.
In a post on X, the NCS said: “EQ of M: 5.5, On: 13/08/2026 06:05:15 IST, Lat: 36.881 N, Long: 74.402 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Leh, Ladakh.”
There were no immediate reports of casualties or major structural damage following the tremor.
The relatively shallow depth of the earthquake means the seismic waves had a shorter distance to travel before reaching the surface, potentially resulting in stronger ground shaking compared with deeper earthquakes.
According to data and explanations provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS), earthquakes can occur from the Earth’s surface to depths of around 700 kilometres and are broadly classified as shallow, intermediate or deep based on their depth.
Shallow earthquakes are generally considered capable of causing greater surface shaking because their seismic energy travels a shorter distance before reaching the ground. However, the extent of damage also depends on factors including earthquake magnitude, local geology, building quality and the distance from the epicentre.
