ISLAMABAD: An earthquake of 6.8 magnitudes jolted parts of Pakistan for at least 30 seconds on Tues-day; however, it was not immediately clear whether the tremor had caused any damage or casualties.
Earthquake tremors were felt in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Kohat, Lakki Mar-wat, and other areas of the country.
The epicentre of the earthquake was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 180 kilome-tres, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The earthquake’s effects were also felt in Peshawar, Swabi, Lodhran, DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Skardu, Kohat, Toba Tek Singh, Parachinar, Nowshera, and Khanewal.
Meanwhile, authorities concerned in all affected cities are visiting the areas to inspect the affected buildings and facilitate the citizens.
In light of the powerful tremors felt in several parts of the country, Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel issued an emergency alert at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as well as Federal Government Polyclinic.
“The hospital administration should ensure advance measures to deal with any emergency situation,” he said.
However, Pakistan was not the only country affected by the earthquake. Shaking could be felt as far as the Indian capital, New Delhi, Reuters reported.
Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate.
Several people sustained injuries in earthquake-related incidents across the county; however, no death is reported so far.
According to police, seven people were brought to the district hospital in the Timergara area of Lower Dir. Most of the people were injured in a stampede during the earthquake, the official added.
During the tremors, the roof of a house caved in Jamrud. No causality was reported in the incident, the police confirmed.
In twin cities — Islamabad and Rawalpindi — cracks emerged in various high-rise commercial and resi-dential buildings and flats, triggering panic among the residents.
Sarah Hasan, a resident of Islamabad, told Al Jazeera that the walls of her house vibrated as the earth-quake rocked Islamabad.
“It started off slowly and then became strong,” the 43-year-old said. “The house was vibrating, things were shaking. It started slowing down, and after a few minutes, it felt like everything is calm again.”
“People ran out of their houses and were reciting the Quran,” an AFP correspondent in Rawalpindi said. — Agencies
