Pakistan earthquake: Nearly 20 dead, over 300 injured; mild tremors felt in Delhi-NCR

Over 300 people, including women and children, were injured on Tuesday in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a strong quake jolted several cities in the northern parts of the country including capital Islamabad.

Earthquake measuring 5.8 strikes Pakistan, mild tremors felt in Delhi-NCR

Pakistan earthquake: TV channels showed the footage of heavily damaged roads in Mirpur, with many vehicles overturned. (Source: Dawn)

Nearly 20 people were killed and over 300 people were wounded after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck several parts of Pakistan, including capital Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon, Dawn reported. Mild tremors were also felt in the Delhi-NCR region.

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was the worst hit as the epicentre of the earthquake was 10 km south-east of New Mirpur, PoK, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Several cities including Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Skardu, Kohat, Charsadda, Kasur, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Sialkot, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral, Malakand, Multan, Shangla, Okara, Nowshera, Attock and Jhang also felt the tremor.

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Prelim M5.8 Earthquake Pakistan Sep-24 11:01 UTC, updates https://t.co/5FYdI5qsrQ

— USGS Big Quakes (@USGSBigQuakes) September 24, 2019

However, Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry said that the intensity of the quake was 7.1.

Several injured were quickly shifted to a hospital in Mirpur in PoK after a building collapsed following the earthquake, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority. Parts of a mosque also collapsed in the area. TV channels showed the footage of heavily damaged roads in Mirpur, with many vehicles overturned.

Earthquake measuring 6.3 strikes Pakistan, mild tremors felt in Delhi-NCR

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan, including capital Islamabad. (Source: USGS)

The quake jolted the entire Jammu province, which came around 4.33 pm. At various places especially in Chenab Valley region, people said that the earthquake was so intense that people came out of their buildings in panic.

The tremors lasted for 8-10 seconds but were felt strongly, DawnNewsTV reported. The quake sent people racing out of buildings and offices in cities across the country.

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According to Dawn, Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed grief over the losses and both he and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa directed for timely rescue and relief efforts to be carried out.

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