At least 23 dead as earthquake hits Pakistan
A POWERFUL earthquake has collapsed at least one coal mine and dozens of mud houses in south-west Pakistan, killing at least 23 people and injuring more than 200, an official said.
The death toll is expected to rise as crews search the remote mountainous area, said Suhail Anwar Shaheen, the local deputy commissioner.
At least four were killed when the coal mine in which they were working collapsed, said Mr Shaheen, citing miners in the area.
As many as 100 homes also collapsed, burying sleeping residents.
The epicentre of the 5.9 magnitude quake was about nine miles from Harnai in Baluchistan province, according to the US Geological Survey. The initial measurement of the quake’s strength was 5.7 magnitude.
The area, about 60 miles from Quetta, the provincial capital, is dotted with coal mines, and the tremor struck in the early morning while scores of miners were at work.
Pakistan’s military was deployed to airlift dozens of injured people from mountain peaks and search and rescue teams are in the area.
At least nine critically injured people were taken to Quetta.
Concern has grown about scores of miners who might be trapped. Homes lay in heaps of mud and straw, and residents of small mountain villages were seen wandering among the rubble.
“Women, children, everyone was running here and there,” said resident Ghulam Khan.
Ambulances arrived to transport the injured to hospital in Harnai. Doctors treated patients outside as 4.6 magnitude aftershocks continued into the morning hours.
“So far we have treated more than 200 casualties,” said Manzoor Ahmed, medical superintendent of the small, rural Harnai district hospital. As many as 15 bodies were taken there.