Late on Friday night, a low-intensity earthquake hit areas along the Pak-Afghan border, resulting in three children’s deaths and five others injured, including women.
The tremors were also felt in Qila Abdullah, Gulistan, Pishin, and other parts of the Chaman district. The earthquake caused the collapse of a house on the outskirts of Chaman, resulting in the death of three children and the destruction of another house in the neighboring area. Additionally, the walls of some houses and buildings developed cracks due to the earthquake’s impact.
According to Naveed Alam, assistant commissioner for Chaman, the earthquake’s magnitude was measured to be 3.6. He added that the earthquake struck the border district of Chaman around 10 pm, resulting in jolts throughout the town.
The local administration, Balochistan Levies, and rescue workers rushed to the site as soon as they were informed of the incident. They recovered the bodies and injured from under the debris and shifted them to the district hospital. The seriously injured were referred to Quetta hospital for further treatment.
Hospital officials reported receiving three bodies of children, aged between eight and 12, and five injured individuals, including two women. People in the affected area claimed that officials were not aware of the collapsed houses and other damages until late at night. The hospital informed the local administration about the losses.
The tremors were also felt in Qila Abdullah and other areas, but no human casualties or property damage were reported. The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the hilly area of Khawaja Imran, some 30km northeast of Chaman.
The spokesman for the Chief Minister, Babar Yousafzai, said that immediate assistance was provided to the affected family. Levies were alerted in the affected areas, where residents were advised to exercise caution as mud houses were damaged due to recent rain.
