On Tuesday, Pakistan was struck by a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake originating from Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. The earthquake, which hit with a depth of 180 kilometers, caused panic across various regions in the country, including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kot Momin, Madh Ranjha, Chakwal, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to local media reports, the earthquake resulted in nine fatalities, including two women, and over 160 injuries. Many buildings collapsed, causing widespread damage, while a stampede occurred in the markets of Rawalpindi at the time of the earthquake.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has called on disaster management officials to remain vigilant to handle any potential crises. The federal health minister Abdul Qadir Patel has instructed an emergency declaration in the hospitals of the federal capital.
The earthquake’s impact was felt beyond Pakistan, with tremors being reported in India, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, and Kyrgyzstan. Pakistan frequently experiences earthquakes, with a 6.3 magnitude quake occurring in Islamabad earlier this year. The deadliest earthquake in Pakistan occurred in 2005, claiming the lives of over 74,000 people.
The latest earthquake serves as a reminder of the importance of disaster preparedness and the need for effective response mechanisms in the face of natural disasters.
