A strong earthquake has struck parts of Pakistan, northern India and Afghanistan, causing panicked residents to pour out into the streets. In Islamabad, buildings shook and walls swayed for about a minute shortly before 0900 (0400 GMT).
Residents in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and in the Indian capital, Delhi, are also reported to have felt the tremor.
The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of at least 7.6 and the epicentre was northeast of Islamabad.
Japan's Meteorological Agency put the magnitude at 7.8.
"We can say that it was one of the strongest earthquakes [ever] felt in Islamabad," Mohammad Hanif, an official at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, told the Reuters news agency.
Police in the Pakistani city of Lahore told the Associated Press news agency that at least eight people were injured and four shops were damaged.
Part of a 19-storey building collapsed in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, reports say.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4321490.stmOct 8, 2005 — NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A major earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.6 struck Pakistan on Saturday and was felt across the Indian subcontinent, sending people fleeing from their homes into the streets.
There was no immediate word of any serious casualties.
Pakistan's private Geo TV channel reported that the top floors of a 12-storey apartment block in Islamabad had collapsed and an unknown number of people were trapped inside.
The quake was also felt in the Pakistani and Afghan capitals.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) highlighted a large earthquake on its Website between Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir with a magnitude of 7.6.
It described the quake as "major," saying it took place at 0350 GMT at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles). It was centered 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad and 125 km (75 miles) northwest of Srinagar.
The USGS's David Applegate told CNN that because the epicenter was relatively close to the surface, the quake was likely to have been felt over a large area.
Japanese quake experts put the magnitude at 7.8. Tokyo measures earthquakes according to a technique similar to the Richter scale but adjusted for Japan's geological characteristics.
"We can say that it was one of the strongest earthquakes (ever) felt in Islamabad," said Mohammad Hanif, an official at the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
SCREAMING IN FEAR
Witnesses and Reuters correspondents could hear people screaming in fear inside their houses in Islamabad during the quake — which lasted for about a minute — and car and house alarms were set off by the shaking.
Minutes later sirens could be heard as the emergency services began racing through Islamabad, a city of close to a million people.
The situation was still tense, witnesses said, with residents listening and watching the crows — which are believed to fall silent immediately before an earthquake.
In Lahore, closer to the epicenter, at least nine people were injured, including eight officials of the paramilitary rangers, who were caught when the roof of their office collapsed, police said.
Screaming people rushed out of apartment buildings in the Indian capital, New Delhi, as the tremors began, a Reuters reporter said.
Indian government officials and the meteorological office said earlier that the quake measured 6.8, and was centered west of Muzaffarabad in Pakistani Kashmir.
Reuters reporters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, also felt the tremors.
Indian officials said the quake was felt throughout northern and central India.
"People are still gathered outside their homes and buildings," a resident of Delhi told Reuters. "They are a bit scared to go back into their homes at the moment.
The area where the quake took place is known for its frequent seismic activity and experts have long predicted an imminent major earthquake in the Himalayan region.
Massive loss of lives feared in tremors
(Updated at 1140 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Large-scale loss of lives being feared in a major earthquake hit large parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning.
In Azad Kashmir several buildings collapsed in this morning tremors, while four people were killed and 50 reportedly injured in Mansehra city of NWFP.
Three villages in Balakot wiped out in the quake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale and losses of life and property being poured in. Several roofs of houses in Peshawar have been collapsed, while there were reports of 30 deaths in Shangla.
According to reports nine schoolgirls feared dead in Mansehra as their school building crumpled in the quake.
An Egyptian diplomat was killed in Islamabad, as a part of the Margalla Towers apartment block collapsed.
Stampede after quake injured several women in Faisalabad
(Updated at 1140 PST)
FAISALABAD: At least dozens of women workers of a textile mill wounded in stampede created when a strong quake hits Kharianwala, Faisalabad.
The injured were rushed to Kharianwala social security hospital where a woman reported in critical state. People still gathering in open areas and grounds due to quake fear.
Quake inflicts heavy losses in Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir: ISPR
(Updated at 1100 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Director General, Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) and Military spokesman, Major General Shaukat Sultan has said that Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir and other cities of country have been severely hit by the earthquake this morning, while in some outskirt areas of Azad Kashmir several villages have totally disappeared.
He told that Pakistan Army has already started the relief work in affected areas and its scores of teams along with helicopters were in operation.
Besides, he said one 19 storied building in Islamabad has been partially damaged by the earthquake and the people trapped therein were being rescued.
Six school girls hurt in Rawalpindi school wall collapse
(Updated at 1100 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said that six girls sustained injuries when a school wall collapsed in Rawalpindi after quake.
Talking to Geo TV, Shaikh Rashid said that rescue operations underway and life is as per routine in Rawalpindi.
Meanwhile, five aftershocks have been reported in Peshawar. Federal Interior Minister visited sector F-10 and quake affected areas.
Mud houses collapse in Azad Kashmir’s Rawla Kot
(Updated at 1050 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Large-scale collapse of mud houses was reported in Rawla Kot area of Azad Kashmir, while a village entirely wiped out in Bagh in a major earthquake.
Several school, college and residential buildings also caved in in various towns of the territory.
Meanwhile, Gilgit-Chitral highway was closed after land-slidings triggered by tremors. Several houses were razed in Kohistan and Buttgram districts. People injured in quake incidents being transferred to hospitals for medical aid.
According to reports a mosque minaret and wall collapsed in Mirpur. A schools building in Texila also collapsed.
Tremor causes land sliding in Skardu
(Updated at 1030 PST)
SKARDU: Intense quake felt in Northern areas of Pakistan causing land sliding in Skardu. No casualties have been reported so far.
Strong quake collapses buildings in Islamabad, Lahore
(Updated at 1020 PST)
LAHORE: The two top storeys of a residential building collapsed in Islamabad due to massive earthquake causing an unknown of number of casualties, witnesses said.
Hundreds of terrified onlookers watched as people tried to rescue those trapped and ambulances were seen rushing to the Margalla towers.
There were also reports of houses and structures collapsing in other northern cities and towns.
The quake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale hit Pakistan early on Saturday, causing widespread damage, officials and witnesses said.
"The earthquake measured 7.6 on the open ended Richter scale and its epicenter lay 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Islamabad," Meteorological department official Mohammad Iqbal told foreign news agency.
The first tremor rumbled through the country at around 8:55 (4:55 GMT), followed by another after a few minutes.
Several shops reportedly collapsed in Shah Alami market and a market situated near Gora Pul area here followed by the strong quake.
Tremor hits Peshawar
(Updated at 0955 PST)
PESHAWAR: Strong tremor also hits Peshawar followed by Islamabad and Rawalpindi quake.
According to Geo correspondent from Peshawar, strong quake jolted Peshawar at 08:45 and 09:05 on Saturday morning. Potohar, Kashmir and Afghanistan also affected by the quake that lasts for 2 minutes.
Quake shakes parts of country including Islamabad
(Updated at 0930 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Strong intensity quake jolts Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other parts of country. No casualty has been reported so far.
Quake jolted Islamabad and Rawalpindi at 08: 53 am that lasts for 23 seconds followed by several aftershocks. Officials are colleting data.Intensity of the tremor measured 7.6 at Richter scale. According to reports, people running out of their homes in panic.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html.........................................................................................................................................
im trying to contact family and friends but lines are not working. hope my family is ok. seems as though the earthquake did affect their city.
