ISLAMABAD: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook parts of Pakistan and the Himalayan region of Kashmir early Tuesday, panicking residents.
There were no immediate reports of damage, officials said.
The epicenter of the quake was in southwestern Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region that is divided between neighboring India and Pakistan, both of which claim it in its entirety but rule it in part.
According to the National Seismic Monitoring Center in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the depth of the tremors was 20 kilometers (12 miles). Shaking was felt across much of Pakistan, including Islamabad, some areas in the eastern Punjab northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces bordering Afghanistan.
A magnitude 7.6 quake in 2005 killed thousands of people in Pakistan and Kashmir. Over 86,000 people died, a similar number were injured, and millions were displaced. It is considered the deadliest earthquake in South Asia, surpassing the 1935 Quetta earthquake, which killed up to 60,000 people.
Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rattles Pakistan and Kashmir
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Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rattles Pakistan and Kashmir
- There were no immediate reports of damage or deaths, officials said
- Magnitude 7.6 quake in 2005 killed thousands in Pakistan and Kashmir
Rescuers evacuate dozens to safety amid heavy snowfall in northwest Pakistan
- Khyber, Swat and South Waziristan are areas worst affected by snowfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Authorities say rescue operations ongoing, process of clearing roads underway in affected areas
ISLAMABAD: Rescuers evacuated dozens of stranded residents to safety as heavy snowfall blanketed several mountainous districts, blocked roads and cut off villages in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, authorities said on Friday.
Rescue 1122 teams are operating in different areas of Tirah valley in KP’s Khyber district and shifted over 40 people, including children, to safe locations. The evacuees were provided with food, warm clothes and bedding, according to Rescue 1122 spokesman Bilal Faizi.
Around 55 people, who had been stranded in 20 vehicles in Sandana area, were rescued. Rescue 1122 teams from Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera are participating in rescue operations, which continue despite difficulties due to slippery roads and heavy snow.
“People are stranded at various places due to heavy snowfall,” KP government spokesman Shafi Jan said in a statement. “Contact with some areas is not possible due to the suspension of [mobile] signals and road closures, however, rescue operations are ongoing.”
Separately, several people were stranded in four vehicles in Bahrain area of KP’s Swat, according to Rescue 1122.
“As soon as the information was received, the rescue disaster and medical teams immediately reached the scene,” the rescue service said. “The rescue personnel, taking professional action, safely shifted all the people to a safe place and also safely recovered the stranded vehicles.”
The process of clearing snow from the Malam Jabba Road, Kalam and other areas was being carried out, according to local authorities. Heavy snowfall has disrupted traffic on several roads in South Waziristan’s Ladha town as well.
Provincial authorities have not yet reported any loss of life.
Snowstorms have proven deadly in Pakistan in the past. At least 21 people, including children, died in January 2022 after they were stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.
Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic areas in northwestern KP to witness snowfall every winter, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities amid dangerous weather conditions.
