Asia

9 killed, over 160 injured as 6.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — Atleast nine persons were killed and over 160 were injured after an earthquake of 6.8 magnitude shook parts of Pakistan on Tuesday.

Earthquake tremors were felt in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, and other areas of the country. Strong tremors were also felt in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kot Momin, Madh Ranjha, Chakwal, Kohat and in Gilgit-Baltistan areas, local media reported.

The earthquake killed nine people, including two women, and injured over 160 others as well as causing many buildings to collapse, authorities said, according to a Geo News report.

The epicentre of the earthquake was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 180 kilometres, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has asked disaster management officials to remain vigilant to handle any situation.

An emergency was declared in the hospitals of the federal capital on the instructions of Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel.

According to the international seismological centre, apart from Pakistan, tremors were also felt in India, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China and Kyrgyzstan.

The deadliest earthquake hit the country in 2005, which killed more than 74,000 people. — (PTI)