Tremors lasted for 8-10 seconds but were felt strongly across the country, including in major cities of Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. They were felt across Delhi, the national capital region, Punjab and Haryana. The epicenter of the earthquake was Pakistan-India border, Jammu and Kashmir region, 10 kilometers deep. The closest big city to the epicenter is Rawalpindi. “The (most) damage is in areas between Jhelum and Mirpur,” said the chief of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal. Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted that army troops with aviation and medical support teams were dispatched.
There are reports of damage to roads and buildings. Parts of a mosque also collapsed. Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly session, expressed grief over the loss of human life. All departments, including NDMA, Pakistan Army, and State Disaster Management have started rescue operation in quake-affected areas.
