ISLAMABAD: Over 130 people were killed and more than 1,300 others injured today as a powerful 7.5- magnitude earthquake – the strongest in 10 years – rocked Pakistan, sending severe shock waves as far as Punjab and PoK.
The quake’s epicentre was located near Jurm in northeast Afghanistan, 250 kilometres from Kabul and at a depth of 213.5 kms, according to the US Geological Survey.
The temblor collapsed buildings, triggered landslides and stampedes, prompting the government to rush army personnel to the affected areas for rescue operations.
Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif flew to some affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to assess the rescue operation in the region that is the worst hit.
“The army chief has landed at Corps Headquarters in Peshawar. Corps Commander (Peshawar Hidayat-ur-Rehman) has briefed him on damage assessment,” Director-General of Pakistan military’s media wing ISPR Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa tweeted.
The death toll in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is 123, with 5 killed in Punjab, and 4 in the PoK, Pakistani media reported.
Over 1,000 people were injured, 956 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. Malakand Division in the province is the worst hit with 74 dead. (AGENCIES)
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