Af-Pak quake toll 53

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 26

An earthquake measuring 7.5 magnitude, epicentred in northeastern Afghanistan, struck at 2.40 pm on Monday, sending tremors that were felt in India and Pakistan. Fifty-three people died in the earthquake in Afghanistan and  Pakistan, officials claimed. 

Seventeen of the 53 were killed in Afghanistan — 12 of these were schoolgirls who died in the stampede that ensued after the quake in the Afghan province of Takhar.

The remaining were reported from neighbouring Pakistan, officials said.

The quake shook buildings in North India, sending people rushing into the streets. No major damage to property or loss of life was immediately reported in North India.

The Indian Metrological Department has pegged the earthquake as "great", measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was located at a depth of 190 km. According to the IMD, the temblor occurred at 14:39:31 hours at latitude 36.5 degree north and 70.8 degree east in the Hindukush region of Afghanistan.

Soon after, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has asked for an urgent assessment of the situation in the wake of the quake and offered assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone's safety," the PM said on Twitter.

"I have asked for an urgent assessment and we stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan & Pakistan," he said.

Two Army personnel were injured when their bunker collapsed under the impact of the tremor at Sopore, 55 kms from Srinagar, in north Kashmir Baramulla district, officials said.

They said the bunker collapsed inside the Ganjoo house where an Army unit is camping, resulting in injuries to two soldiers who were evacuated to hospital.

However, no loss of life was reported immediately. Also, telephone lines jammed and power supply was cut off in Srinagar. 

The flyover at Jehangir Chowk in the heart of Srinagar also developed crack forcing the authorities to suspend traffic over it.

Likewise, no loss of property was reported from Ambala.

In Chandigarh, the tremors also caused disruption in telecom services for a while, reports said. People said cots, chairs, ceiling fans, lanterns and other objects swayed due to the impact.

"I thought I was unwell as suddenly I felt my head spinning and my heart beat going up," said Sudhir Gupta, a resident of Chandigarh.

Many people said that their cellphones stopped functioning immediately after the tremors.

Similar reports were received from across Punjab including Amritsar, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana and Mohali.

According to residents, animals and birds, especially dogs started behaving abnormally.

"I was sitting on a chair and suddenly the ground started shaking and I almost fell down," said Ritu Nagra, a resident of Amritsar.

In Ferozepur, cracks were reported in a hospital building.

In Shimla too, tremors were felt and people were seen moving out of the high-rise buildings.

The quake reminded of the horror of the massive temblor that struck India-Pakistan region on October 8, 2005. Over 1,400 people were killed in India. Baramulla district was the worst hit. Almost all the structures were flattened in the frontier tehsil of Uri.—With agency inputs