A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook parts of Pakistan on Tuesday, killing nine people, including two women, and injuring more than 160, as well as collapsing several buildings, officials said.
According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority KP, the dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa include five men, two women and as many children.
The KP PDMA report said that at least 44 people were injured in various accidents as a result of the earthquake. The report states that at least 19 houses have been partially damaged across the province.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Department Abdul Basit and DG PDMA Sharif Hussain visited the Emergency Operation Center. Secretary Relief said that Rescue 1122 provided timely medical aid to the injured and shifted them to nearby hospitals.
The secretary also directed the district administration, rescue and civil defense to remain alert for relief and rescue operations. The secretary further said that PDMA is in constant touch with the district administration and concerned institutions in all the districts.
He said that the situation is being monitored continuously, advising citizens to report any untoward incident on helpline 1700 or 1122.
Islamabad buildings evacuated
According to the Islamabad Police, no casualties were reported in the capital after the earthquake.
“Khudad Heights has been evacuated after cracks appeared in the walls,” police said, adding that law enforcement agencies and local government officials were at the scene.
ضلعی انتظامیہ سے درخواست کی گئی ہے کہ عمارت کا تکنیکی معائنہ کرکے قابل رہائش ہونے کی تصدیق کرے۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) March 21, 2023
“The district administration has been requested to inspect the building.”
After the tremors of the earthquake, other high-rise residential buildings in the federal capital were also evacuated.
6.6 magnitude earthquake
Earthquake tremors were felt in other areas of the country including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Kohat, Lucky Marwat.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the epicenter of the earthquake was the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, while its depth was 180 km.
Magnitude : 6.8
— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) March 21, 2023
Epicentre: Hindukush Region, Afghanistan.#earthquake pic.twitter.com/YiBs5qaefF
Earthquake tremors were also felt in Peshawar, Swabi, Lodhran, DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Skardu, Kohat, Toba Tek Singh, Parachinar, Nowshera and Khanewal.
Meanwhile, the concerned authorities in all the affected cities are visiting the areas to inspect the affected buildings and provide convenience to the citizens.
In light of the powerful earthquakes felt in several parts of the country, Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel issued an emergency alert at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as well as the Federal Government Polyclinic.
He said that the hospital management should ensure advance measures to deal with any emergency situation.
The moderate earthquake was followed by aftershocks of magnitude 3.7 at a depth of 156 km.
EarthQuake AfterShocks
— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) March 21, 2023
Date : 21/03/2023
Time: 22:43:18
Region: Hindukush Region, Afghanistan
Magnitude:3.7
Depth (km): 156
Latitude: 36.50 N
Longitude: 70.96 E#earthquake pic.twitter.com/kv8hsfClQ9
However, Pakistan was not the only country affected by the earthquake, with tremors felt in much of Afghanistan and further east in parts of India.
Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted, “So far, thank God, no bad news of casualties. We hope all citizens of the country are safe.”
He said that health centers across the country have been put on high alert.
Large parts of South Asia are seismically active as a tectonic plate known as the Indian Plate is pushing northward into the Eurasian Plate.
Praying for the welfare of the people, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other agencies to be ready to deal with any emergency.
وزیراعظم کی نیشنل ڈیزاسٹر مینجمنٹ اتھارٹی اور دیگر متعلقہ اداروں کو کسی بھی نا گہانی صورت حال سے نمٹنے کے لیے تیار رہنے کی ہدایت
— President PMLN (@president_pmln) March 21, 2023
Several killed, injured in quake-related incidents
Many people were injured and died in earthquake-related incidents across the country.
A woman was killed when a house wall collapsed in Lower Dir, the first cause of a moderate earthquake that shook much of the country.
According to the police, the incident took place in Dheri area of Lower Dir. Hospital sources have confirmed that a woman died after the wall of the house collapsed due to the tremors of the earthquake.
Police officials say that a 13-year-old girl died after a house wall collapsed in Swat. He further said that one more person was killed and two others were injured due to the collapse of the roof of the house.
The police also said that a total of 50 injured have been brought to the Saidu Sharif Hospital in Swat. On the other hand, rescue officials say that a total of 43 people have been injured in various accidents related to the earthquake in Lower Dir.
According to the police, seven people were brought to the district hospital in Taimergarh area of Lower Dir. The official added that most of the people were injured in the stampede during the earthquake.
The roof of the house collapsed during the tremors of the earthquake in Jamrud. No casualties were reported in the incident, police confirmed.
In the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, cracks appeared in various high-rise commercial and residential buildings and flats, spreading panic among the residents.
A preliminary report by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that two people were killed and six injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, eight houses were partially damaged. The provincial health department imposed emergency in hospitals.
Witness accounts
Sarah Hassan, a resident of Islamabad, told Al Jazeera that the walls of her house were shaken by the earthquake in Islamabad.
“It started slowly and then got stronger,” the 43-year-old said. “The house was shaking, things were moving. It started to slow down, and after a few minutes, it felt like everything was quiet again.”
JEE News correspondent in Rawalpindi said people ran out of their homes and were reciting the Quran.
Akhlaq Kazmi, a retired professor in the city, told JEE News that his whole house began to shake.
He said that the children started shouting that there was an earthquake. “We all ran out.”
An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 occurred in Pakistan last year.
It is worth mentioning here that in June last year, an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 occurred in Afghanistan and Pakistan. More than 1000 people died and more than 600 were injured in the earthquake in Afghanistan.
The US Geological Survey (USGC) said the quake struck about 44 kilometers (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border.
About 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India felt the tremors, EMSC said.
In Pakistan, earthquake tremors were felt in other places including Islamabad, Multan, Bhakkar, Phalia, Peshawar, Malakand, Swat, Mianwali, Pakpattan and Buner. It was recorded at a depth of 44 km, while its center was southwest of Khost in Afghanistan.
