Modi telephones Mufti, takes stock of post-quake situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to take stock of the situation after a major earthquake jolted the state on Monday.

"Spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and  took stock of the situation arising due to the unfortunate earthquake," the prime minister said in a statement.

An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale and with its epicentre  in Afghanistan shook large parts of north India, causing widespread  panic.

There were no reports of casualties but there was major damage to  property in Kashmir.
Most multi-storey public and private buildings in Srinagar, the summer  capital of Jammu and Kashmir, suffered huge cracks.

Dozens of houses and  school buildings collapsed in southern and central parts of the Kashmir  Valley, officials and residents said.

Traffic came to an abrupt halt as vehicles started swinging on shaking  roads in the valley. A traffic flyover in Srinagar developed cracks.