Earthquake death toll reaches nine, leaves 60 injured

• Nine deaths were reported including five males in KP.
• 60 people with minor injuries were also reported.
• No reports of damages or losses reported in Punjab and Balochistan.

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued the preliminary situation report on damages and losses due to the recent earthquake of 6.8 magnitude that shook the northern parts of the country leaving nine dead and 60 injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab provinces.

The preliminary report by the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) of the Authority underscored that the earthquake of 6.8 magnitude was reported from Hindukush region of Afghanistan. However, it mentioned that shockwaves were felt in most of the northern parts of Pakistan; including KP, Gilgit Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Northern Punjab with lesser degree in Northern Balochistan, central and south Punjab. The earthquake was followed by two aftershocks of 3.7 and 3.5 magnitude.

The earthquake originated on March 21 at 21:47 PST had a depth of 180 km with it’s epicentre in Hindukush Region, Afghanistan. The preliminary report underscored the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Seismic Center, the current earthquake pattern conformed with such activity in the region, recorded since 1970 and was an occurrence of Eurasian tectonic plate

The Data received from the provinces revealed that in KP some nine deaths were reported including five males, two females and two children; 58 were injured including 17 males, 29 females and 12 children, however all patients were in stable condition.

The district-wise situation revealed that in Swabi – roof collapse incidents occurred leaving persons reported injured. In Chitral – Roof and boundary wall collapse, left two persons injured. In Khyber, roof damage and collapse incident was reported where no injuries happened. In Swat – Roof collapse and boundary wall damage reports were received leaving a child dead due to a wall collapse in Madyan. In Lower Dir – Roof collapse resulting in one death and one person injured. In Mardan, Bajour and Lower Chitral – one person was reported injured.

However, approximately 60 people with minor injuries were also reported from different areas however exact numbers and details were being collected.

In Punjab, some two males were reported injured, in KP some 26 houses got partially damaged and four livestock animal perished and in GB ,some two houses got partially damaged and two livestock animal killed in various incidents.

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Fortunately, no reports of damages or losses so far were reported in Punjab, Balochistan and AJK.