A strong 5.1 magnitude earthquake jolted the Hingri tehsil of district Musakhel in Balochistan on Saturday morning, in which more than 20 people were injured and over 90 houses damaged, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
People rushed out of their homes in panic and preferred to stay in open areas for safety after strong tremors were felt across the affected regions.
Assistant Commissioner Najeebullah Kakar said that more than 20 people were injured, including women and children, as houses were cracked in the area. “The communication links to far-flung areas of the region are still not restored,” an official added.
According to earlier reports, at least three persons were injured in earthquake tremors in various parts of Balochistan, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.
The 5.1 magnitude earthquake tremors were recorded by the National Seismic Monitoring Centre. “The epicentre of the quake was at the distance of 58 kilometers in the northeast of Barkhan district,” the NSMC said.
The tremors were felt on Saturday morning in Musakhel, Barkhan, Rakhni, and Kohlu, PDMA said. “There are reports of damage to the houses caused by the tremors in different areas of Musakhel,” according to the disaster management authority.
The losses were also reported in Kangari, Rarasham, and Kajhori areas. “The relief teams have been dispatched to quake-hit areas for rescue and relief operations,” PDMA further said.
Reporter: Rehmatullah