Islamabad (Web Desk): At least nine people died and 44 others injured in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (KP) when a massive earthquake of 6.8 magnitude jolted various parts of the country late on Tuesday.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 19 houses were partially damaged due to the earthquake in the province.
The injured have been shifted by Rescue 1122 teams to hospitals after first aid.
The PDMA Director General Sherif Hussain said the authority is in close contact with district administrations and other line departments.
He said the control room of the authority is operational round the clock and people can contact on 1700 in case of emergency.
The PDMA further said said Karakorum Highway was also blocked due to land sliding.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the NDMA and other relevant institutions to stay alert to deal with any untoward situation.
The quake was primarily felt in northern parts of the country, including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Haripur, Mardan, Chitral, Charsadda and others.
The earthquake also jolted different cities in Punjab, though no loss of life was immediately reported. Shocks were felt in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh, Sahiwal, Okara and other cities.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was centred near Jurm town in north-eastern Afghanis-tan in the Hindukush region and had a depth of 187 kilometres.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said the quake was a magnitude 6.8, whereas the USGS put the magnitude at 6.5.
The earthquake also jolted the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), where the resultant landslides created fear. However, no loss of life was immediately reported.
The earthquake also jolted the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), where the resultant landslides created fear. However, no loss of life was immediately reported.