19 dead, over 300 injured as earthquake shakes parts of Pakistan
 

ISLAMABAD: The death toll rose to 19 while more than 300 were reported to be injured after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday.Speaking to Geo News, Deputy Commissioner AJK Raja Qaiser confirmed the death of 19 with more than 300 injured following the quake.Tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Murree, Jhelum, Charsadda, Swat, Khyber Agency, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Nowshera, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar and Kohistan.AJK Deputy Commissioner said that emergency has been imposed in the hospitals.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) have also been issued orders by him to execute rescue operations and collect information on the destruction caused by the quake. The situation is not the same as it was in 2005, he revealed further adding that rescue teams have also reached the affected areas. Citing sources, the TV channel reported that the earthquake sent people of affected areas rushing to the streets.Geo News reported that the quake struck at the shallow depth of 10 kilometres with the epicentre lying 1km south-east of New Mirpur in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).The earthquake has led to several houses and buildings in Mirpur getting damaged with multiple cars also falling into deep cracks on the streets that emerged after the jolts. Measures to keep yourself safe during earthquakeThe NDMA, in a notification released, said that aftershocks are also expected in the earthquake-hit areas within the next 24 hours. The spokesperson issued a word of caution saying defensive actions should be taken to ensure the impact remains minimum. Army Chief orders troops to participate in rescue activitiesChief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa directed army troops to participate in rescue activities due to the earthquake in AJK and other affected areas, according to DG Inter-Services Public Relations Maj General Asif Ghafoor.According to DG ISPR, the army chief directed army personnel to completely cooperate with the civil administration of AJK.The DG ISPR said that Pakistan army’s aviation and medical teams have been dispatched to AJK and other earthquake-hit areas. In 2005, a 7.6 Richter-scale quake had killed more than 90,000 people and dislocated over 3.5 million, primarily in Azad Kashmir and Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Here's how it happened: In pictures: Infrastructure breaks down as 5.8-earthquake hits north Pakistanhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/YEor/~4/DQae6bNg0UQ

أكثر...