Severe Tremor hits Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Strong intensity quake jolts Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other parts of country.
According to unconfirmed reports, 25 people were killed in Azad Kashmir. Large-scale collapse of mud houses was reported in Rawla Kot area of Azad Kashmir, while a village entirely wiped out in Bagh in a major earthquake.Several school, college and residential buildings also caved in in various towns of the territory. Meanwhile, Gilgit-Chitral highway was closed after land-slidings triggered by tremors. Several houses were razed in Kohistan and Buttgram districts. People injured in quake incidents being transferred to hospitals for medical aid. According to reports a mosque minaret and wall collapsed in Mirpur. A schools building in Texila also collapsed. Six girls sustained injuries when a school wall collapsed in Rawalpindi after quake. Quake jolted Islamabad and Rawalpindi at 08: 53 am that lasts for 23 seconds followed by several aftershocks, forced people to running out of their homes in panic.The earthquake measured 7.6 on the open ended Richter scale and its epicenter lay 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Islamabad. Reports of quake also received from India and Afghanistan. Land sliding in Skardu reported.
Director General, Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) and Military spokesman, Major General Shaukat Sultan has said that Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir and other cities of country have been severely hit by the earthquake this morning, while in some outskirt areas of Azad Kashmir several villages have totally disappeared.
He told that Pakistan Army has already started the relief work in affected areas and its scores of teams along with helicopters were in operation.Besides, he said one 19 storied building in Islamabad has been partially damaged by the earthquake and the people trapped therein were being rescued.