According to PDMA (Provincial Disaster Management Authority), an earthquake of 5.9 magnitudes struck Balochistan on Thursday (7 October) morning killing at least 20 people and injuring over 300.
The National Seismic Monitoring Centre noted that the earthquake, which struck near the province’s Harnai region, had a depth of 15 kilometers. The earthquake had a longitude of 67.96 East and a latitude of 30.08 North.
The aftershocks of the earthquake were felt in:
- Quetta.
- Sibbi.
- Pishin.
- Muslim Bagh.
- Ziarat.
- Qila Abdullah.
- Sanjavi.
- Zhob.
- Chaman.
Deputy Commissioner of Harnai District Sohail Anwar Hashmi confirmed the death toll and said that six children have also been deceased among others. Furthermore, he said women and children who got injured have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Harnai.
Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan Alyani said that the evacuation efforts were underway. He tweeted, “Blood, ambulances, emergency assistance, [helicopters] and rest all things are placed … All departments are working on it.”
According to ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations), security forces also reached the district for rescue and relief efforts. Food and medicines were transported to Harnai, along with the assistance of Army doctors and paramedics who were assisting the civil administration with medical care.
According to the ISPR statement, the inspector general of the Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan has arrived in the district to survey the damage and respond. In addition, a Rawalpindi-based urban search and rescue team was flown in to assist in the rescue effort.
Land sliding
Landslides have been reported in mountainous locations, according to PDMA Director General Naseer Ahmed Nasir. He went on to say that residences within a 15-kilometer radius of Harnai had been devastated, and that rescue personnel was working to help.
Five to six districts were hit on a “large scale,” according to Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove, and data was still being collected. Additionally, he said that the greatest number of deaths along with injuries have been reported in the Harnai region. He went on to say that the critical patients are being shifted to Quetta immediately.
The minister said, “They are our people, the state’s resources are for them. People won’t be left helpless. Those who have suffered a loss will be compensated.”
