Extensive Loss Envisaged: Strongest-ever Quake Rocks Pakistan  
Pakistan Times Special Report

ISLAMABAD: A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked large swaths of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on Saturday, and preliminary reports indicated the damage in Pakistan could be widespread.

Initial reports say that thousands of people were injured in Pakistan, and many more were feared trapped in the rubble of a 19-story building in Islamabad.

The earthquake of high intensity with 7.6 on the Richter scale, jolted diverse areas in Pakistan, making the people exit from their homes and to take shelter in open places in pre-noon hours.

The first tremor which started at 08:55 PST [03:55 GMT] lasted for almost three minutes without break, a metrological expert told Pakistan’s first independent daily E-newspaper, ‘Pakistan Times’ by phone.

Yet, another report says that Strong intensity quake jolts Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other parts of country. No casualty has been reported so far.

Quake jolted Islamabad and Rawalpindi at 08: 53 [03:53 GMT] that lasted for 23 seconds followed by several aftershocks.

Officials are colleting data. Intensity of the tremor measured 7.6 at Richter scale. Reports say, people ran out of their homes in panic.

The epicentre of the first prolonged quake was located almost 100 KMs North-East of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. This was followed by multiple trembles. Of these, one originated 115 KMs South East of Mingora in Swat area of the NWFP, the other 195 KMs off Jehlum in Punjab, the third from 120 KMs away from Srinagar with subsequent shocks which were persisting till 10:35 PST [05:35 GMT] unabated.

Reports received by now indicate that Saturday’s earthquake of such a high intensity which did not occur in the recent past in any part of the region of South Asia. Yet, today’s tremors hit not only many areas in Pakistan but also in India and Afghanistan.

It was rather unusual that almost half a dozen after-shocks took place and were still persisting. Never before, in the recent history, such a scenario had been witnessed by people of Pakistan.

With collapse and cracks of buildings at many places, though no full information about loss of life or serious damage to property is available so far, but in the wake of the enormity of the earthquake with a lot of after-shocks, massive loss
is being anticipated by specialists on tremors.

Quake inflicts heavy Losses

Meanwhile, the Director General, Inter-services Public Relations [ISPR] and Military spokesman, Major General Shaukat Sultan has said that Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir and other cities of country have been severely hit by the earthquake this morning, while in some outskirt areas of Azad Kashmir several villages have totally disappeared.

Pakistan Army has already started the relief work in affected areas and its scores of teams along with helicopters were in operation, he said.

Besides, he said one 19 storied building in Islamabad has been partially damaged by the earthquake and the people trapped therein were being rescued.

In-depth

The two top storeys of a residential building collapsed in Islamabad due to massive earthquake causing an unknown of number of casualties.

Hundreds of terrified onlookers watched as people tried to rescue those trapped and ambulances were seen rushing to the Margalla towers. There were also reports of houses and structures collapsing in other northern cities and towns.

The quake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale hit Pakistan early on Saturday, causing widespread damage, officials and witnesses said. "The earthquake measured 7.6 on the open ended Richter scale and its epicenter lay 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Islamabad," Meteorological department official Mohammad Iqbal told foreign news agency.

The first tremor rumbled through the country at around 08:55 [03:55 GMT], followed by many more after a few minutes.

Several shops reportedly collapsed in Shah Alami market in Lahore and a market situated near Gora Pul area followed by the strong quake. Strong tremor also hit Peshawar followed by Islamabad and Rawalpindi quake.

Strong quake jolted Peshawar at 08:45 and 09:05 on Saturday morning. Potohar, Kashmir and Afghanistan were also affected by the quake that lasts for 2 to 3 minutes.

10 bodies recovered from Margalla Towers

At least 10 bodies have been recovered from the collapsed part of Maragalla Towers whereas number of people still stranded in the debris.

A British TV channel reports, thousands of people gathering around the site causing problems for rescue operations. Helicopters were also seen taking part in rescue operation.

An Egyptian diplomat was also killed in Islamabad, as a part of the Margalla Towers apartment block collapsed.

Large-scale loss of lives is being feared in the drastic earthquake which hit large parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning.

Stampede in Faisalabad

At least dozens of women workers of a textile mill wounded in stampede created when a strong quake hits Kharianwala, near Faisalabad, an industrial city of Pakistan.

The injured were rushed to Kharianwala social security hospital where a woman reported in critical state. People still gathering in open areas and grounds due to quake fear.

25 perish in Azad Kashmir Quake Fury

Severe jolts and jerks unleashed by high intensity of earthquakes that took Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and several areas of Azad Kashmir including other parts of the country by surprise reported to have wreaked havoc, killing at least 25 persons in Azad Kashmir, while a school building in Rawalpindi was raised to the ground wounding several girl-students and a 13 storied building in Lahore caved, in which, scores of people were reported to be entrapped besides Quetta, Bagram and other far flung Northern areas were also reported to have felt the tremors.

Initial reports indicated that this might prove to be the worst of earthquakes that were experienced during the past several decades in these areas.

Whereas several buildings collapsed in this morning tremors, while four people were killed and 50 reportedly injured in Mansehra city of NWFP. Three villages in Balakot wiped out in the quake and losses of life and property being poured in.

Several roofs of houses in Peshawar have been collapsed, while there were reports of 30 deaths in Shangla.

According to reports nine schoolgirls feared dead in Mansehra as their school building crumpled in the quake.

Houses collapse in Azad Kashmir

A report from Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir says that large-scale collapse of mud houses was reported in Rawlakot area, while a village entirely wiped out in Bagh iby the major earthquake.

Several school, college and residential buildings also caved in in various towns of the territory.

School Wall Collapses

The Federal Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said that six girls sustained injuries when a school wall collapsed in Rawalpindi after quake.

Shaikh Rashid said that rescue operations underway and life is as per routine in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, five aftershocks have been reported in Peshawar. Federal Interior Minister visited sector F-10 and quake affected areas.

Gilgit-Chitral highway was closed after land-slidings triggered by tremors. Several houses were razed in Kohistan and Buttgram districts. People injured in quake incidents being transferred to hospitals for medical aid.

A mosque minaret and wall collapsed in Mirpur in AJK. A schools building in Texila also collapsed.

Likewise, intense quake was felt in Northern areas of Pakistan causing land sliding in Skardu. No casualties have been reported so far.

Scores feared Dead or Trapped

Update info says that scores of people were feared trapped or killed on Saturday after two buildings collapsed in Pakistan's capital following a major earthquake felt across South Asia.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.6, struck at 0350 GMT and was centered in Azad Kashmir, about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad.

Officials said casualties were expected in the north of the country, but it was difficult to get details because phone lines were down and mobile networks overwhelmed.

But scores of people were feared killed or trapped in two apartment blocks reduced to rubble in Islamabad.

A private television station broadcast pictures of residents and rescue workers clambering over heaps of rubble. Officials said that the two tower blocks had contained 75 apartments.

"I just cannot say how many people are still under there and we are trying to evacuate them. Over 75 apartments were affected so the number of people is in the hundreds," said Mohammad Ali, a government official in Islamabad.

The TV channel also said 25 people had been killed in Azad Kashmir and four in northern Pakistan.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) situated the earthquake on its Website between the Himalayan State of Jammu & Kashmir with a magnitude of 7.6. It described the quake as "major," saying it took place at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). It was centered 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad and 125 km (75 miles) northwest of Srinagar.

The USGS's David Applegate said that because the epicenter was relatively close to the surface, the quake was likely to have been felt over a large area. "We can say that it was one of the strongest earthquakes (ever) felt in Islamabad," said Mohammad Hanif, an official at the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Screaming in Fear

Every-one could hear people screaming in fear inside their houses in Islamabad during the quake -- which lasted for about two minutes -- and car and house alarms were set off by the shaking.

Minutes later sirens could be heard as the emergency services began racing through the city of close to a million people.

An aftershock of magnitude 5.9 was felt in the Pakistan capital about an hour later, causing more panic.

The situation was still tense, witnesses said, with residents listening and watching the crows -- which are believed to fall silent immediately before an earthquake.

In Lahore, closer to the epicenter, at least nine people were injured, including eight officials of the paramilitary rangers, who were caught when the roof of their office collapsed, police said.

India, IHK & Afghanistan

Earthquake-hitting New Delhi also, where the tremors were witnessed for about 2 minutes. Several areas of Rajasthan, Uttar Pardesh and Bihar in India also felt the jolts and shivers of the wide spread earthquakes, where buildings shuddered, people got horrified and started praying for safety.

A report from New Delhi says that a strong earthquake jolted parts of northern India at around 9.25 am. People were seen running out of their homes and offices. It was measured at 5.8 on the Richter scale.

However, the magnitude and the epicentre of the earthquake were not yet known, the report said by adding that; Also, it was not immediately clear if the quake caused any casualties or damage.

Screaming people rushed out of apartment buildings in the Indian capital, New Delhi, as the tremors began, a report said.

India's science and technology minister, Kapil Sibal, said initial reports did not indicate any loss of life in India.

"I think if at all any damage occurred it must have occurred there (in Pakistan)," he told a TV station.

But witnesses and officials in India held-Kashmir said several buildings had been damaged in the northern districts of Uri, Baramullah and Kupwara. Strong tremors triggered landslides, blocking the 300-km (190-mile) Jammu-Srinagar highway.

Landslides also blocked the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, linking the Azad Kashmir with Indian occupied Kashmir, they said.

Several houses collapsed in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir near the Line of Control [LoC]. The NDTV news channel said one person had been killed and 50 injured in Baramula district.

In New Delhi, hundreds of construction workers ran into the streets in Gurgaon, a swanky business and call center hub on the outskirts of the capital. "We felt the whole earth shaking, the scaffoldings swaying left and right," said Ram Kripal, a 33-year-old construction worker.

"There was big noise from the clattering of glass panes," he said. "It continued for about 15-20 seconds, but it felt like a lifetime."

The area where the quake took place is known for its frequent seismic activity and experts have long predicted an imminent major earthquake in the Himalayan region.

Reports reaching here said that the people in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul had also felt the tremors.

Two children were killed and nearly a dozen mud-brick houses were destroyed when an earthquake hit parts of Afghanistan on Saturday, an official said.

The process of jolts was continuing in Pakistan until beyond noon on Saturday as another jerk shook Islamabad at 12:02 LT [05:02 GMT] making the area to tremble and shiver.

Though a Washington report said that US Geological Survey recorded the intensity of the earthquake at 7.6 Richter scale, but Japan Metrological Agency claimed to have recorded it at 7.8.

Pakistan Metrological Department told that these areas had suffered earthquake of the intensity of 6.2 Richter scale twenty years ago.●