ISLAMABAD: An earthquake measuring 6.4-magnitude jolted several cities in Pakistan, besides India and other south asian countries.
Experts have stated that people to remain alert for aftershocks of the tremor.
Epicentre of the quake was Tajikistan’s Murghab city. Intensity recorded at 6.4 magnitude on Richter’s scale and the Depth of the tremor measured at 80 kilometer.
Earthquake tremors measuring a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter’s scale were felt across several cities of Pakistan at 10:02 pm late Friday night, with Tajikistan’s Murghab city reportedly being the epicentre.
According to reports, tremors were felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Mardan, North Waziristan, Swat, Multan, Sargodha, Faisalabad, and Lahore.
The tremors were also felt in Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Toba Achakzai, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Dir, and Chitral.
According to the Seismological Centre, the depth of the earthquake was measured at 80 kilometer. Citizens have been advised to be careful as the aftershocks of the earthquake are expected.
It is pertinent to mention here that such a high-intensity earthquake jolted Pakistan after 1.5 years, and during the previous incident, Azad Jammu and Kashmir suffered significant damages.
The US Geological Survey put the quake’s magnitude at 5.9 and centred 35 km (55 miles) west of Tajikistan in central Asia.
Meanwhile, Rescue Punjab said that despite such a high-intensity earthquake, no casualties have so far been reported
Similarly, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rescue officials said that citizens could call 1700 to inform the authorities of any losses, adding that a few injuries were reported, but there have been no deaths.
In the adjacent areas of Muzaffarabad, the intensity of the tremors was intense, including Neelum, Jehlum, Bagh, Poonch, Mirpur, and other areas.
Police and rescue officials said that two people were injured so far in Bagh, however, no life losses were reported.
In Muzaffarabad, where a 2005 earthquake wreaked serious destruction, there was mass panic, according to witnesses and many rushed out of their homes in fear.
“I thought it’s the same like what had hit us in 2005. My children started crying,” said Asif Maqbool, a resident in Madina Market, a neighbourhood of Muzaffarabad that was almost flattened in the 2005 quake.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, Astore, Diamer, Hunza, and all four district of Baltistan were hit by the earthquake. People came out of their house and began prayers.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) spokesperson said the institution was in contact with all the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA).
“NDMA is in contact with all PDMAs and getting updates from across Pakistan,” the spokesperson said, adding that no loss of life had been reported so far.
Read more: COVID-19 Second Wave; Pakistan reports 33 new deaths and 1,270 people tested positive
