MCQ Detailed View

On 8 October 2005, Pakistan faced one of the most devastating natural disasters in its history when a massive earthquake struck the northern regions of the country. The earthquake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, making it a major seismic event capable of causing widespread destruction.

The epicenter of this earthquake was near Muzaffarabad in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, at a depth of around 15 kilometers. The tremors lasted for several minutes and were felt in many parts of Pakistan, as well as neighboring countries like India and Afghanistan. The Richter scale reading of 7.6 indicates a very strong earthquake that released an enormous amount of energy, leading to severe ground shaking and structural collapses.

Key details about the 2005 earthquake:

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  Magnitude: 7.6 on the Richter scale.

  
  


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  Casualties: Over 87,000 deaths and more than 75,000 injuries reported.

  
  


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  Displacement: Millions of people were left homeless as thousands of buildings and infrastructure were destroyed.

  
  


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  Aftershocks: Hundreds of aftershocks followed, some exceeding magnitude 6, causing further damage.

  
  


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  Most affected areas: Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Bagh, and other surrounding mountainous regions.

  
  

The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the strength of earthquakes. Each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in amplitude and about 31 times more energy released. A magnitude of 7.6 falls in the major earthquake category, strong enough to destroy poorly built structures, trigger landslides, and cause long-lasting impacts on human lives and the environment.

Thus, the correct answer is 7.6, the officially recorded magnitude of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.