Dozens dead as magnitude 7.5 quake strikes Afghanistan

In Pakistan’s scenic northern Gilgit-Baltisan area, there were concerns of widespread damage.

Buildings in the Pakistani capital Islamabad rattled for at least two minutes, while tremors were also felt in the Afghan capital Kabul. At a girls’ school in Takhar province, 12 students died and another 40 were injured in a stampede. Power supplies and most mobile networks were knocked out, and there was structural damage to roads and buildings.

He said the worst-affected Afghan provinces were Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunar, Nangarhar as well as Kabul. Officials there have confirmed at least 123 people killed and more than 950 injured.

Chitral is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where an official said the overall toll had jumped to 121 by Monday evening local time.

“Given the intensity and duration of the quake, there are likelihood of casualties”, said Sedid Hassan, an official with Afghanistan’s Disaster Management Department. So far came at least twelve people killed, Pakistani police said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 and occurred at a depth of 130 miles.

The Obama administration is willing to provide assistance to victims of a devastating natural disaster that struck Afghanistan and Pakistan, it said on Monday.

September 20, 2011: At least 68 people were killed and over 300 injured in a quake of 6.8 magnitude that struck Sikkim.

In J-K capital Srinagar, residents said they saw the buildings “swinging” in a scary reminder of the devastating quake of 2005.

In Nepal, twin quakes in May killed more than 8,900 people, triggered landslides and destroyed half a million homes, leaving thousands in need of food, clean water and shelter.

About 100 injured people were admitted to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Khyber’s capital, while 194 others were rushed to medical centers in Swat region.

The Guardian added that officials were not available for immediate communication as phone lines were also suspected to be damaged.

Indian President Narendra Modi said through social media that his country is studying the damage. “I pray for everyone’s safety”, the PM said on Twitter.

Aftershocks are still being felt and people have been advised to vacate buildings, Express News reported.