GILGIT, Nov 2: An earthquake that jolted parts of the Northern Areas in the early morning on Saturday caused heavy landslide which blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) at Tatapani, 150kms south of Gilgit.

According to meteorological department the intensity of the earthquake on the Richter scale was 5.6.

Sources said the intermittent landfall at the KKH had panicked passengers into rushing out of buses, which had injured at least three persons. Whereas a passenger, Yawar Ali, resident of Bagarote, was found missing following the panic.

The injured included Mohammad Ismail, son of Mohammad Aslam, resident of Mardan, and Mohammad Irshad.

At least five passenger buses had reportedly come under the lanslide, followed by a heavy duststorm, and were still stuck in the mud.

The KKH could not be opened because the quake jolts were continued till the filing of the report. The rescue teams and workers of the Frontier Works Organization could not reach the affected area.

The traffic between Rawalpindi and Gilgit remained suspended on Saturday owing to the stranded vehicles on the highway. The FWO sources said they were making all out efforts to clear the way and rescue the people.