Balochistan quake: Death toll soars to 245
- September 25, 2013, 7:34 pm
- National News
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QUETTA Sept 25 (Online): Death toll has risen to 245 in a major earthquake that struck Awaran District of Balochistan.
This was stated by Spokesperson of Balochistan government Jaan Balaidi.
He said that despite difficult terrain‚ rescue efforts are underway in the tremor hit area. Medical teams are working in the area.
He said relief activities are going on in the area for the quake victims and the people injured critically are being shifted to Karachi.
He said quake had drastically affected road and other means of communications creating difficulties for rescue teams to reach every tremor hit district.
Pak army and FC personnel are also helping in relief efforts in these areas.
Meanwhile‚ Sindh government has dispatched 2 trucks carrying medicines while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab governments have offered all kind of assistance for quake-hit people of Balochistan.
Earlier‚ on Tuesday (September 24)‚ an earthquake measuring 7.8 on Richter scale hit a number of cities in Sindh and Balochistan province including Karachi‚ Hyderabad‚ Quetta and Kalat.
The epicenter of the quake was 120 kilometers away from Khuzdar. People came out from their houses‚ offices and buildings in panic.
Home Secretary Balochistan‚ Asad Gilani said the relief items including five hundred food packets and seven hundred tents have been dispatched to Awaran. Several buildings‚ shops‚ mud compounds and houses also collapsed.
An emergency has been declared Chaghi and Awaran districts.
Deputy Speaker Balochistan Assembly Abdul Qudoos told media that 30 per cent of houses in Awaran district have been destroyed.
The tremors were also felt in some parts of India‚ Iran‚ Dubai‚ Sharja and Muscat.
Pakistan Army and FC troops have been sent to the quake affected areas for rescue operations.
According to ISPR a military helicopter carrying medicines has also been dispatched to the quake-affected areas.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif have expressed deep shock and grief over the loss of precious lives in the earthquake. The President called upon all the concerned authorities to undertake every effort for rescue and relief of the affected people.
The Prime Minister directed chairman NDMA to keep him updated about the situation and ordered to begin rescue operation in the quake-hit areas. The Prime Minister also directed the local administration to provide all necessary help and assistance to the affected people on priority basis.
The Prime Minister said that the Federal Government would provide all possible assistance to the earthquake affectees and asked NDMA and Pakistan Army to assist the local administration in relief activities.
The Premier prayed to Almighty Allah to bless the departed souls with eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
Balochistan Chief Minister‚ Dr. Abdul Malik in a statement expressed deep grief and sorrow over the human and property damages in Awaran‚ Khuzdar‚ Turbat and other districts of the province.
He directed administrations of affected areas especially Awaran and Turbat that relief activities may be started while Balochistan Chief Minister Dr. Abdul Maalik Baloch in a statement also directed Provincial Disaster Management Authority Balochistan that arrangements have been made to dispatch the relief goods in affected areas as soon as possible.
Chief Minister telephoned provincial Chief Secretary and inquired about the situation of earthquake and directed that the entire situation may be monitored. He said medicines‚ food‚ tents and other necessary items might also be dispatched in affected areas by Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Dr. Malik Baloch also directed health department of the province and asked them to send doctors and paramedical staff to earthquake affected areas.
