3 injured after two earthquakes hit Balochistan

QUETTA: At least three people were injured on Saturday after two earthquakes of 5.2- and 4.3-magnitude jolted a vast area of Balochistan, including Barkhan district.

The depth of the 5.2-magnitude earthquake was 19 kilometres, while its epicentre was located 52 kilometres north-east of Barkhan, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC).

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) put its magnitude at 5.4, with a depth of 10km and striking the areas at 8:06am.

Officials said that other areas struck by the earthquake include Rakhni, Kohlu and Musakhail.

The earthquake followed a 4.3-magnitude tremor whose epicentre was located in the same area. Its depth was recorded at 42km, NSMC said. USGS said the quake struck at 5:45am, with a depth of 10km.

The PDMA said that two labourers were injured when the roof of a shop collapsed due to a quake felt in Musakhail district.

Another man, Fazal, sustained injuries when his house collapsed, northwest of Musakhail’s Kingri area.

Officials of the PDMA and local administration rushed to the affected areas and launched a rescue operation after receiving reports of the earthquakes.

According to the local administration, cracks appeared in the walls of mud houses and a large number of people have abandoned their houses and erected tents.

On Friday, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the same area, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

In a press release, the PMD said the quake’s epicentre was 60km northeast of Kohlu and that it was felt in the Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni areas.

On Monday, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad.