Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolts Islamabad, KP cities

ISLAMABAD: An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted Islamabad and cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Saturday.

The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said that tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi Swat, Mansehra, Swabi, Mardan, Lakki Marwat and other KP cities.

The tremors were also felt in Karak, Chiniot, Mianwali, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala. Sangla Hill, Safdarabad, Pindi Battian and Attock.

“The center of earthquake was in the north west of Rawalpindi and depth was 12 kilometers.

Following the tremors, people came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba.

However, no loss of life or property was reported in its wake.

Meanwhile, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted a region home to 28 million, toppling buildings such as hospitals, flattening communities and leaving many without food, water and shelter.

Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here.

The World Health Organization flagged a rising risk of cholera and other diseases in the worst-affected areas, such as Mandalay, Sagaing and the capital of Naypyitaw, while it prepared $1 million of relief supplies, including body bags.

“Cholera remains a particular concern for all of us,” said Elena Vuolo, the deputy head of its Myanmar office, pointing to an outbreak last year in Mandalay.

The risk was worsened by damage to about half of healthcare facilities in the quake-hit areas, including hospitals destroyed by the earthquake in Mandalay and Naypyitaw, she added.