Three injured as twin earthquakes shake parts of Balochistan

QUETTA: At least three people were injured on Saturday after two earthquakes struck a wide area of Balochistan, including Barkhan district, according to officials.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said the stronger quake measured 5.2 in magnitude, had a depth of 19 kilometres and was centred 52 kilometres northeast of Barkhan. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), however, recorded it as a 5.4-magnitude earthquake at a depth of 10 kilometres and said it struck at 8:06am.

Officials said tremors were also felt in Rakhni, Kohlu and Musakhail. The second earthquake, measured by the NSMC at 4.3 magnitude, had its epicentre in the same area and occurred at a depth of 42 kilometres. The USGS said that tremor struck at 5:45am and placed its depth at 10 kilometres.

Injuries and damage reports

The PDMA said two labourers were hurt in Musakhail district when the roof of a shop caved in after the quake. Another injured person, identified as Fazal, was hurt when his house collapsed in an area northwest of Kingri in Musakhail.

After reports of the earthquakes were received, PDMA officials and the local administration went to the affected localities and began rescue work. According to the local administration, cracks developed in the walls of mud houses, while many residents left their homes and set up tents.

Recent seismic activity

The latest tremors came a day after another earthquake in the same region. On Friday, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the area, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). In a press release, the PMD said that quake’s epicentre was 60 kilometres northeast of Kohlu and that tremors were felt in Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake also shook parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad.