ISLAMABAD: An earthquake of high intensity jolted the federal capital Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and its suburban parts in the afternoon of Tuesday leaving 37 people dead and hundreds injured.
According to geological wing of PMD, tremors measuring 5.8 on Richter scale were felt in various cities for 10 seconds including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Pasrur, Jhelum, Kot Momin, Murree, Kala Bagh, Sangla Hills and many others.
Mirpur Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Tayyab confirmed that 37 people have died and 460 others injured and 160 people were in critical conditions in the result of 5.8-magnitude earthquake which also shook several cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)
Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. Photo by Azhar Iqbal
The quake also hit some urban and rural parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) including Muzaffarabad and Kotli , whereas, tremors were also felt in Nankana Sahib, Quaidabad, Daska, Jaranwala, Shangla, Bajaur, Toba Tek Singh, Mandi Bahauddin, Tandlianwala, Upper Dir, Malakand, Mansehra, Balakot and Skardu.
Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. Photo by Azhar Iqbal
People of the areas where the quake was felt rushed out of their homes and offices in panic reciting Kalma e Tayyeba and verses of Holy Quran.
Mohra saang, a village near Jatlan has been severely affected, where several people died, reported a twitter user.
At least 37 people lost their lives and over 300 were injured by the quake that caused a building to collapse in Mirpur. There are also reports of walls collapsing in the area.
According to the Met Department, the epi-centre of quake was five kilometres away from Jhelum in the northern region while its depth was 10 kilometres inside the earth.
The DG ISPR, military’s media wing tweeted that Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has issued directions for troops to conduct an “immediate rescue operation” in aid of the civil administration for victims of the earthquake in AJK.
Army troops with aviation and medical support teams have been dispatched to the area, it added.
During a visit to the affected area, the NDMA chairman said the Pakistan Army has started repair work on damaged roads. By tomorrow, small vehicles will be able to use the roads that were affected by the earthquake.
He added that 1,000 food aid packages will reach the affected area soon and tents will also be provided to those whose houses were damaged or destroyed.
Following the intensity of the quake, the aviation authorities have stopped aircraft to take flight as precautionary measures at the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore. (INP)
