 "Quake rocks Afghanistan, tremors felt in Delhi")
The tremors of an earthquake with its epicentre in Afghanistan's Hindukush region were on Monday felt as far away as in Delhi, Srinagar, parts of North India, and some parts of northern Pakistan.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre lay 45 km south-southwest of Jarm in Afghanistan, around 240 km from capital Kabul. It put the intensity at 7.5 on the Richter scale. The Pakistani met department had earlier put the intensity even higher, at 8.1 on Richter.
Tens of thousands of people in Delhi and nearby areas fled out of their homes and high-rise buildings and were seen gathering on the roads. In the capital, Delhi Metro immediately suspended its services. The quake also affected telecom services in Delhi and neighbouring regions, as hundreds of thousands of people began telephoning one another.
A senior Delhi Metro official said metro services had resumed, though trains were running at a very slow pace. "Metro services were put on hold from 2.40 PM to 2.55 PM in view of the earthquake. Thereafter, train services were brought to normal routine after ensuring safety check of the structures," the official said.
The Delhi government activated its disaster management teams soon after the tremors. "Please stay calm & do not panic. Disaster management teams have been activated," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
Please stay calm & do not panic. Disaster management teams have been activated
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 26, 2015
Residents in Srinagar were reported to have seen buildings "swinging", remindig them of the devastating quake of 2005.
Two army personnel were injured as their bunker collapsed following tremors in Sopore, 55 km from Srinagar, in North Kashmir's Baramulla district. The bunker collapsed inside Ganjoo House, where an army unit is camping, resulting in injuries to two soldiers, following which they were taken to the hospital, officials said.
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre officials in Uttarakhand said there had been no report of any damage to life or property from anywhere so far, even as tremors were felt in several areas of the state, including Mussoorie, Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee and Rishikesh.
In Madhya Pradesh, there were no reports of casualties or damage to property, an Indian Meteorological Department official was reported to have said. "Gwalior and Chambal revenue divisions, Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ujjain, Agar, Rajgarh, Tikamgarh and Chhattarpur districts experienced minor tremors at around 2.40 PM," IMD's Bhopal office director Anupam Kashyapi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
In Pakistan, the media said the quake was felt in all major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. At least 13 people were reported to have been killed in that country. Pakistani troops had been directed "to carry out immediate rescue work in any affected areas without waiting for formal orders", military spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa tweeted.
Earthquake update:Army troops directed to carry out immediate rescue work in any affected areas without waiting for formal orders-1
— AsimBajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) October 26, 2015
In Afghanistan, At least 12 girls were reported to have been killed after a stampede broke out in their school in the northern Afghan province of Takhar after the earthquake. "The students rushed to escape the school building in Taluqan city (capital of Takhar), triggering a stampede," Takhar education department chief Enayat Naweed was quoted as saying by Agence France Presse. "Twelve students, all minors, were killed and 35 others were injured."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had asked for an urgent assessment of the situation in the wake of the quake and offered assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone's safety," the PM said on Twitter.
Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone's safety.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015
I have asked for an urgent assessment and we stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan & Pakistan.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015