Earthquake felt across South Asia: Over 300 killed in Afghanistan, Pakistan
New Delhi, Oct 26: A massive earthquake measuring 7.7 magnitude on Monday, Oct 26, shook Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of north India, including the national capital New Delhi and NCR region, triggering massive panic.
Strong tremors were felt in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the epicenter being reported from Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan, struck at around 2.40 pm.
According to Pakistan's MeT Department, the earthquake's magnitude was found to be 8.1.
The India Meteorological Department said the epicentre of the quake lay in the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan.
The US Geological Survey put the epicenter near Jarm in the country's northeast, 250 kilometres (160 miles) from the capital Kabul and at a depth of 213.5 km. It put the intensity at 7.7 on the Richter scale.
In India, the tremors jolted the whole of northern India including Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
[Shaken up by earthquake in Delhi, Virender Sehwag forced to have lunch 'sitting outside']
People frantically rushed out of their houses and offices as the ground shook. Everywhere, tens of thousands of people fled out of their homes and high-rise buildings.
Pakistanis took to social media to post reports of a "massive quake", Dawn said.
It said the tremors were felt in major cities including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Kohat and Malakand.
The quake, which lasted at least one minute, shook buildings in Kabul, Islamabad and New Delhi, sending people rushing into the streets.
In Srinagar, residents said they saw the buildings "swinging", remindig them of the devastating quake in 2005.
According to National Center for Seismology, a unit of Ministry of Earth Science, the epicentre of the earthquake was the Hindukush mountain range, known to be a high sesimic zone. The earthquake occured at the depth of 190 kms.
Delhi Metro halts, resumes services
Delhi Metro immediately halted its services for some time after strong tremors shook the Indian capital
"Metro trains were stopped as per standard procedure. The entire system was shut down," Delhi Metro executive director Anuj Dayal said.
The quake also affected telecom services in Delhi and neighbouring regions as hundreds of thousands of people began telephoning one another.
"Massive, massive it was... praying." This is how Delhi's Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra reacted as a major earthquake shook the Indian capital.
60 killed, over 100 injured in Pakistan
At least sixty people were killed and over hundred were injured in Pakistan when a major earthquake hit parts of the country.
12 school girls killed in stampede in Afghanistan
12 school girls were reportedly killed during a stampede in Afghanistan, when the country was rocked by a powerful quake.
Aftershocks were felt at 3.19 pm in Farkhar, Afghanistan.
Indians in Kabul safe
All Indians in Kabul are safe and there are no reports of damage to Indian owned property in the city in the wake of a devastating earthquake with its epicentre in Afghanistan, an Indian embassy official said.
"As of now, there are no reports of casualties or injuries among Indians," the official told a news agency on the phone at 4.30 pm (IST), adding that Indian Ambassador Amar Sinha was going around the city to assess the situation.
Attempts were also being made to contact the Indian consulates in Afghanistan to assess the situation, the official added.
Tremors felt in Nepal
Strong tremors shook different parts of Nepal including Kathmandu after a major earthquake jolted Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, The Himalayan Post reported.
PM Narendra Modi offers help to Afghanistan, Pakistan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India was ready to provide assistance to Kabul and Islamabad following a powerful earthquake with epicentre in Afghanistan.
Heard
about
strong
earthquake
in
Afghanistan-Pakistan
region
whose
tremors
have
been
felt
in
parts
of
India.
I
pray
for
everyone's
safety.
—
Narendra
Modi
(@narendramodi)
October
26,
2015
I
have
asked
for
an
urgent
assessment
and
we
stand
ready
for
assistance
where
required,
including
Afghanistan
&
Pakistan.
—
Narendra
Modi
(@narendramodi)
October
26,
2015
Do not panic, Kejriwal says
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked people not to panic after a powerful earthquake jolted the capital.
Delhi government also activated its disaster management teams soon after strong tremors jolted the national capital making people scurry for cover and bringing the metro to a halt.
Please
stay
calm
&
do
not
panic.
Disaster
management
teams
have
been
activated
—
Arvind
Kejriwal
(@ArvindKejriwal)
October
26,
2015
Here are some Twitter reactions:
Strong
tremors
felt
in
Ludhiana,
earthquake
was
7.7
on
Richter
Scale
with
epicentre
in
Hindukush,
Afghanistan
pic.twitter.com/PItp3TM9kK
—
ANI
(@ANI_news)
October
26,
2015
An
earthquake
rattles
lights
in
our
office
in
Noida.
Tremors
lasted
over
2
minutes.
Wonder
how
it's
at
the
epicentre
pic.twitter.com/iXOaIDU5iy
—
Rajesh
Kalra
(@rajeshkalra)
October
26,
2015
In
Malakand
Swat,
more
than
20
people
are
injured
due
to
collapse
of
houses
#Earthquake
—
Farhan
Khan
Virk
(@FarhanKVirk)
October
26,
2015
Follow
this
very
very
seriously.
In
case
of
#EarthQuake
Exit
Building
Before
#Tweeting
about
it
!!!!!!
pic.twitter.com/AVPKmwvRqd
—
Dhaval
Patel
(@dhaval241086)
October
26,
2015
8.1
magnitude
#earthquake
jolts
country
https://t.co/khhYGdGuku
#Pakistan
—
Radio
Pakistan
(@RadioPakistan)
October
26,
2015
NDMA
puts
all
concerned
rescue
departments
on
HIGH
ALERT;
issues
warning
regarding
after
shocks
also
#Earthquake
—
Mansoor
Ali
Khan
(@_Mans00r)
October
26,
2015
Last
time,
#Earthquake
lead
to
an
entire
Lake
in
GB
region.
Now
glaciers
are
falling..pray
pic.twitter.com/TOQmtfxN7B
—
Farhan
Khan
Virk
(@FarhanKVirk)
October
26,
2015
7.7
#Earthquake,
epicentre
in
Hindukush
mountains.
Impact
assessment
underway,
details
awaited.
—
Shiv
Aroor
(@ShivAroor)
October
26,
2015
Stay
safe.
Stay
blessed.
That
was
serious.
#earthquake
#prayers
—
Aakash
Chopra
(@cricketaakash)
October
26,
2015
#Earthquake
:
Groups
of
people
outside
their
houses
after
they
felt
tremors.
Reports
@niteshsNBT
pic.twitter.com/RyFfZZGP1e
—
NBT
Dilli
(@NBTDilli)
October
26,
2015
Epicentre
of
#earthquake
45km
South-South
West
of
Jarm
in
Afghanistan
and
256km
North
of
Kabul;
7.7
on
Richter
scale,
190Km
Depth:
USGS
—
ANI
(@ANI_news)
October
26,
2015
Epicenter
45km
SSW
of
Jarm,
Afghanistan.
#EarthQuake
—
Brumby
گوشت
خور
(@brownbrumby)
October
26,
2015
Nature's
fury...
#Pakistan
#GilgitBaltistan
#earthquake
#StaySafe
pic.twitter.com/XJZLU7mpKe
—
Paresh
Rawal
(@Babu_Bhaiyaa)
October
26,
2015
Those
who
can
donate
blood,
must
go
to
the
nearest
hospitals
and
blood
banks
to
donate,
especially
those
living
in
KPK..
Help!!
#Earthquake
—
Simky
(@SeharSaleem007)
October
26,
2015
Now
this
is
something
to
research.
In
last
500
years
MAJOR
#EarthQuake
came
on
26th
of
month@USGS
@SJEarthquakes
pic.twitter.com/dqtW2x1gbb
—
#GauravPradhan
(@DrGPradhan)
October
26,
2015
This
is
the
result
of
our
sins.
May
ALLAH
forgive
us
all...
#Earthquake
—
عینی
حیات
(@PTI_Ki_Tigress)
October
26,
2015
Thanks
GOD
Allah
for
saving
us..
I
saw
death..
I
was
in
old
university
campus
i
can't
explain
what
happened
there...
#earthquake
—
Samia
Jawad
(@SaamiaJawad)
October
26,
2015
OneIndia News
(With Agency inputs)