NEW YORK: United Nations Security General Antonio Guterres on Friday said he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction caused by an earthquake in Balochistan.
Taking to Twitter, Guterres said his thoughts were “with all who have been affected”.
“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction caused by Thursday’s earthquake in Pakistan. My thoughts are with all who have been affected,” he tweeted.
I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction caused by Thursday’s earthquake in Pakistan.
My thoughts are with all who have been affected.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 8, 2021
His tweet came hours after a powerful earthquake collapsed at least one coal mine and dozens of mud houses in Harnai district early Thursday, killing at least 23 people as the death toll continued to creep higher.
At least another 200 people were injured, an official said.
The death tally was expected to rise even further as crews searched in the remote mountainous area, said Suhail Anwar Shaheen, the deputy commissioner of Harnai.
At least four people were killed when the coal mine in which they were working collapsed, said Shaheen, citing coal miners in the area. As many as 100 homes also collapsed, burying sleeping residents inside.
The epicentre of the 5.9 magnitude quake was about 15 kilometres (9 miles) north-northeast of Harnai, according to the US Geological Survey. The initial measurement of the quake’s strength was 5.7 magnitude. It struck about 9 kilometres (5.5 miles) below the Earth’s surface — shallower quakes tend to cause more damage.
The area, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Quetta is dotted with coal mines, which has Shaheen worried the death toll could rise. It struck in the early morning while scores of miners were already at work, he said.
