A powerful natural disaster struck northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, reportedly killing more than 200 people and generating strong aftershocks that were felt throughout south Asia.
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Examples of significant earthquakes, in this densely populated region, caused by reverse slip movement include an 8.1 magnitude quake in Bihar, the 1905 7.5 magnitude Kangra and the 2005 7.6 magnitude Kashmir earthquakes.
British educationist and expert on education reforms Sir Michael Barber condoled the deaths in Pakistan and Afghanistan from the quake.
Up to 2,000 people are believed to have been injured in Pakistan, with neighbouring countries India and Iran have offered assistance. Pakistan said its army had begun rescue efforts in the country.
Pakistan will not issue any appeals to the worldwide community for help as the country has the required resources to carry out the rescue and relief work, said Information Minister Pervez Rashid. Sanaullah Timori, a spokesperson for Takhars governor, told EFE the 12 people killed in the province were students.
But extensiveness of the quake, which was felt as far as New Delhi, and high number of the injured meant the death toll could climb in coming days.
In the Pakistani capital, walls swayed and people rushed out of office blocks fearful for their safety. In Islamabad, buildings shook and people poured into the streets in a panic, with many reciting verses from the Quran.
The natural disaster comes six months after a devastating quake in Nepal killed thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes.
According to Hussein, about half of Pakistan has been affected in a few way, with rural areas particularly hard hit.
“Today’s natural disaster was the strongest one felt in the recent decades”, said Afghanistan’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.
Elsewhere in Khyber-Pakhtunkwa, seven people were killed in Mansehra, three in Charsadda, 18 in Shangla and 20 in Chitral, which fell closest to the quake’s epicentre. “So far 1,500 homes are reported to be damaged or destroyed”.
INDIA OFFERS HELPING HAND: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday offered assistance to Afgha-nistan and Pakistan.
There were no immediate reports of casualties and damage.
Several residents were injured, scores of houses, bridges and roads developed cracks and communication system collapsed temporarily in the aftermath of massive tremor.
Pakistani helicopters and military planes were being used to transport relief supplies and military engineers were working on restoring communication lines disrupted by landslides triggered by the quake, said Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa, the army spokesman.
The quake was also felt in the Indian capital New Delhi, though no damage was immediately reported.
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Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, which lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
