An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale struck the Pakistan-India border on Tuesday afternoon causing large-scale devastation on the Pakistani side. According to Pakistani media reports, at least 19 people are reported to have died in Tuesday’s earthquakes in the Mirpur region of Pakistani Kashmir. Among those killed are at least four children.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority Director Colonel (retd) Alauddin was quoted as saying that his team was working with the Pakistan army and soldiers were being dispatched to the affected areas.
In India, the Indian Meteorological Department said that there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the earthquake. The tremors were felt in Delhi and Punjab but there are no reports from Indian Kashmir due to the communication blockade. The Indian government has imposed a ban on mobile communication and internet since 5 August when it abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
“The epicentre of the earthquake was the Pakistan-India border, Jammu and Kashmir region. The magnitude of the quake was 6.3 on the Richter scale. Even we felt the tremors here in the office. Tremors were felt across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir,” J.L. Gautam, Director Operation, National Center for Seismology told ANI.
The IMD said that an earthquake with a depth of 40 km hit the Pakistan-India border region at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday.
More details awaited.