Pakistan earthquake death toll rises to 37, over 500 injured

Some of the quake’s aftermath

By Nasir Aijaz
AsiaN Correspondent

Islamabad: The death toll from Tuesday’s earthquake in Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) rose to 37, with more than 500 injured, according to the latest reports.

The epicentre of the 5.8-magnitude quake was near the Kashmiri city of Mirpur, roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Jhelum in agricultural Punjab province, the US Geological Survey said.

Near Mirpur, roads were completely destroyed and vehicles overturned by the tremors while bridges, mobile phone towers, and electricity poles were also badly damaged in the melee.

The quake sent people in Lahore and Islamabad running into the streets, while tremors were also felt as far as New Delhi. The Press Trust of India reported that panicking people rushed out of their homes and offices in several places, including in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.

Tremors were also felt in Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum, Charsadda, Swat, Khyber, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Nowshera, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar and Kohistan areas of Pakistan.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had warned that aftershocks were to be expected within the next 24 hours in the earthquake-hit areas across Pakistan.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa directed army troops to participate in rescue activities in AJK and other affected areas, according to DG Inter-Services Public Relations Maj General Asif Ghafoor.

According to DG ISPR, the army chief directed army personnel to completely cooperate with the civil administration of AJK.

DG ISPR said that Pakistan army’s aviation and medical teams have been dispatched to AJK and other earthquake-hit areas.