Quake a test for the nation, says Musharraf
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf said the massive quake was a test for the nation as he visited collapsed Margallah Towers apartment block in Islamabad along with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
"In the overall context it is a test for all of us... the entire nation and we are sure we will qualify this test," Musharraf said.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announced to setup a relief fund for the earthquake victims at the Prime Minister Secretariat that will receive donations and relief items for the quake victims.
Quake hits 80% of Punjab and 70% of NWFP
ISLAMABAD: The worst ever earthquakes in the history of this country rocking this morning has caused widespread distress to the people spanning over 80 percent of Punjab and 70 percent of the Frontier provinces, according to Metrological department.
Many villages were reportedly devastated, where it was feared to have taken a heavy toll of lives besides damages to property.
Sources told that 6 persons were killed and several injured in Murree alone, while the people kept coming to the hospital with the wounded on self help basis.
Geo correspondent told that Peshawar underwent 11 shocks of powerful tremors and still continuing intermittently, while Mansehra and Batgram suffered most both in terms of lives and property.
Besides, at least 40/50 houses of a village ââ¬ËMolianââ¬â¢ located in between Murree and Nathiagali have been totally destroyed. No relief team from the government has thus far reached here.
President, PM direct for speed up relief work in quake-hit areas
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have issued directives to federal and provincial government for speeding up relief operations in quake-hit territories. They have appealed people to remain calm in this trying time.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz held a meeting with President Musharraf here after a major earthquake hit the federal capital Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other parts of the country. They discussed the situation after the quake.
President and prime minister received details of losses by the quake and issued directives to top officials for speeding up the relief operations.
President Musharraf has directed the Pakistan Army to provide assistance to the civil administration in the disaster-hit areas.
President and prime minister also ordered enforcement of emergency in military and civil hospitals and immediate medical aid to the injured persons.
President and prime minister also appealed the nation to remain calm. They also issued directives to authorities for assessment of losses in the disaster.
Massive destruction in quake-hit Hazara division
PESHAWAR: Massive earthquake inflicted huge losses in Hazara division of NWFP and several people have been killed and hundreds injured in the area. Mansehra, Buttgram, Kohistan and Abbotabad are worst hit areas in the quake.
According to reports received here several villages of Buttgram completely wiped out in the killer quake. Three women among four people killed in Tirind area. Habibullah, a nephew of former district nazim of Buttgram Attaullah was among the dead. Banda Quwwat Khan, Kot Gulla, Char Bagh, Tirind, Zareenabad and Kooza Banda are the areas badly hit by the earthquake.
A jeep collapsed in a mountain fissure in Shangla district with five people die and 15 others injured. Two brothers died when a rooftop collapsed in Basham, while several people reportedly killed in Balakot area in Mansehra.
Meanwhile, nine people were reportedly killed in district Kohistan and several others sustained injuries.
NWFP government has declared emergency in the province and issued directives for relief operations in affected areas of the province. Provincial Governor Commander Khalil-ur-Rehman and Chief Minister Akram Durrani took an aerial view of the quake-hit territories.
Aftershocks rock Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Aftershocks tremor rocked Islamabad around 2:00 pm. A massive earthquake hit the various parts of countries including Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the wee hours of Saturday.
Lahore buzzing with the fears of another earthquake
LAHORE: Following an earthquake that had rocked the city here this morning, rumors about another impending earthquake kept people all over here horrified throughout the dayââ¬âthe offices remained shut and the schools were closed forthwith.
Earlier, the morning earthquakes severely jolting the city had left several buildings with fearsome fractures, which necessitated the managements, both private and the government offices, located in these buildings to vacate and the staff of these offices kept waiting by the roadside in front of these buildings.
Many people including students had either reached their offices or were on their way to offices and schools at the time of earthquake, which made them rush back to their houses causing worst traffic jams on most of the major roads, streets and by-lanes of the city that continued intermittently throughout the day.
People told that they hadnââ¬â¢t experienced an earthquake of such a magnitude earlier than this one.
Met office predicts more aftershocks
ISLAMABAD: DG Metrological department Dr. Qamaruzaman Chaudhry said that aftershocks might feel for two days but would not create any threat.
So far six aftershocks have been felt. The series of aftershocks would continue but there is no possibility of new earthquake. Dr. Chaudhry advised residents of mountainous areas and plain areas to be cautious.
Emergency clamped after earthquake rocks Peshawar
PESHAWAR: The government here has clamped emergency forthwith in the wake of the earthquakes feared to have caused widespread damages in the province and ordered commencing relief works in the affected areas.
According to information thus far received here, at least 8 persons have been wounded including 4 children in different areas here who were admitted into Lady Reading Hospital immediately.
Northern Areas, Mansehra, Butgram, Kohistan and Swat were the hard hit areas of NWFP province, where most of the thatched houses caved in and injuries to scores of persons were reported. District Butgram was also reported to have suffered heavy loss of lives and property. The provincial government has pronounced emergency forthwith.
Chief Minister, Akram Khan Durrani has directed to start relief works on emergency basis in the affected areas.
According to Metrological Department, Peshawar underwent seven jolts during the consecutive waves of earthquakes.
25 perish in Azad Kashmir earthquake fury
ISLAMABAD: Severe jolts and jerks unleashed by high intensity of earthquakes that took Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and several areas of Azad Kashmir including other parts of the country by surprise reported to have wreaked havocââ¬âkilling at least 25 persons in Azad Kashmir, while a school building in Rawalpindi was raised to the ground wounding several girl-students and a 13 storied building in Lahore caved, in which, scores of people were reported to be entrapped besides Quetta, Bagram and other far flung Northern areas were also reported to have felt the tremors.
A British TV reported earthquake-hitting New Delhi also, where the tremors were witnessed for about 2 minutes. Several areas of Rajasthan, Uttar Pardesh and Bihar in India also felt the jolts and shivers of the wide spread earthquakes, where buildings shuddered, people got horrified and started praying for safety.
Reports reaching here said that the people in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul had also felt the tremors.
A Washington report said that US Geological Survey recorded the intensity of the earthquake at 7.6 Richter scale, but Japan Metrological Agency claimed to have recorded it at 7.8.
Initial reports indicated that this might prove to be the worst of earthquakes that were experienced during the past several decades in these areas.
Pakistan Metrological Department told that these areas had suffered earthquake of the intensity of 6.2 Richter scale twenty years ago.
8 bodies recovered from Margalla Towers
ISLAMABAD: At least 8 bodies have been recovered from the collapsed part of Maragalla Towers whereas number of people still stranded in the debris.
According to British TV channel, thousands of people gathering around the site causing problems for rescue operations. Helicopters also taking part in rescue operation.
Massive loss of lives feared in tremors
ISLAMABAD: Large-scale loss of live 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 vanished 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
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.
Six school girls hurt in Rawalpindi school wall collapse
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 Kashmirââ¬â¢s Rawla Kot
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.
Earthquake inflicted heavy losses in Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir: ISPR
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.
Strong quake jolts Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Strong intensity quake jolts Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other parts of country.
According to unconfirmed reports, 25 people were killed in Azad Kashmir.
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.
Six girls sustained injuries when a school wall collapsed in Rawalpindi after quake.
Quake jolted Islamabad and Rawalpindi at 08: 53 am that lasts for 23 seconds followed by several aftershocks, forced people to running out of their homes in panic.
The earthquake measured 7.6 on the open ended Richter scale and its epicenter lay 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Islamabad.
Reports of quake also received from India and Afghanistan. Land sliding in Skardu reported.
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.
Strong quake collapses buildings in Islamabad, Lahore
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 causes land sliding in Skardu
SKARDU: Intense quake felt in Northern areas of Pakistan causing land sliding in Skardu. No casualties have been reported so far.
Tremor hits Peshawar
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
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 but intensity of the tremor couldnââ¬â¢t measured at Richter scale. According to reports, people running out of their homes in panic.
http://www.geo.tv/important_events/earthquake05/index.html
