Powerful earthquake kills 150 in Balochistan

A strong earthquake, measuring 7.7 on Richter scale Tuesday hitBalochistan province and killed over 150 people and injured dozens more, officials said.

Officials said hundreds of houses were damaged in Awaran district of Balochistan, the worst affected area bordering Iran, they said.

The quake struck at 4:29 pm local time around 100 kilometers southwest of the city of Khuzdar in Balochistan province, at a depth of 15 kilometers.

Dozens of people are still under the debris in parts of the district, District Police Officer, Rafiq Lasi said.

Deputy speaker Balochistan Assembly Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo said that he has received information from the affected area that 150 people have been killed and many more were injured.

Abdul Qudoos told media that thirty percent of houses in Awaran district have been destroyed.

A police office in the area said that 120 bodies have been pulled out of the debris of the destroyed buildings.

Army’s contingent and helicopters were sent to the affected area, the army’s information department said.

TV footage showed collapsed houses. Officials said that the quake damaged communication and electricity system.

Strong tremors were felt in other cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana in Sindh province, however there was no report of casualty and damage in Sindh.

The Deputy Commissioner Awaran said that it would take some time to reach to the affected areas as communication system has been badly damaged.

The army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asim Bawa said 300 soldiers are busy in rescue operation and that strength will grow to 1000 by Wednesday morning.

He said night flying helicopters with medics on their way and Khuzdar will be the base for rescue efforts. The military hospital in Khuzdar has been alerted.

Officials said the rescue teams are searching for the survivors under the rubble and that they are facing difficulties because of darkness.

The US Geological Survey said the tremors wee also felt as far away as the Indian capital New Delhi.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif have expressed deep shock and grief over the loss of precious lives in the earthquake. The President called upon all the concerned authorities to undertake every effort for rescue and relief of the affected people.

The Prime Minister, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly’s session,  directed chairman National Disaster Management Authority to keep him updated about the situation and ordered to begin rescue operation in the quake-hit areas. The Prime Minister also directed the local administration to provide all necessary help and assistance to the affected people on priority basis.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Sep 24 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.