Earthquake updates: A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.6 on the Richter scale shook Afghanistan and Pakistan killing at least 12 people, and sending panicked residents fleeing from homes and offices on Tuesday night (March 21). Speaking to the media, a spokesman for Pakistan’s emergency services said that nine people were killed when roofs collapsed in various parts of northwestern Pakistan.
He further said that dozens of others were injured in the quake, which was centred in Afghanistan and also felt in bordering Tajikistan. According to reports, more than 100 people were also brought to hospitals in the Swat valley region of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in a state of shock.
Several people collapsed because of shock in Pakistan
“These terrified people collapsed, and some of them collapsed because of the shock of the earthquake,” the spokesman for Pakistan’s emergency services told The Associated Press. He further said that the powerful tremors sent many people fleeing their homes and offices in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad.
The National Center for Seismology said the centre of the magnitude 6.6 quake was located 40 kilometres (25 miles) south-southeast of Jurm in Afghanistan’s mountainous Hindukush region, bordering Pakistan and Tajikistan. It said the depth of the earthquake was 187.6 kilometres (116 miles).
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif released a statement, stating he has asked disaster management officials to remain vigilant to handle any situation.
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Strong tremors felt in Delhi-NCR too
It should be noted here that tremors were also felt in several regions of North India, including Delhi and adjoining areas. Many people came to open spaces in residential buildings as tremors were felt for a while.
People in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and some cities of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were seen outside their homes with their kin to escape any untoward incident. Panic-stricken people started screaming when the earthquake hit residential areas.
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Following the tremours, Delhi Fire Services received calls regarding tilted buildings and cracks appearing in buildings from Jamia Nagar, Kalkaji and Shahdara areas. Fire services teams rushed to these areas to take stock of the situation. However, authorities later confirmed that no tilting was found in buildings due to the earthquake.
(With inputs from agencies)
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