QUETTA: Shockwaves created by the strong earthquake which struck large parts of the country on Monday were felt in Balochistan and forced people in many areas to leave homes in panic and run to open places.

Jolts of 4.1 intensity on the Richter scale struck Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Bolan, Loralai, Musakhail, Sibi, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Chaman and many other areas. No major loss of life or property was reported from any part of the province till late night.

There were reports about cracks having developed in the walls of many houses in Khuzdar, Mastung, Kalat, Musakhail and other areas.

“We have not received any report about any human loss or destruction of property from any area of the province so far,” an official of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.

He said a high alert had been issued throughout the province.

Jolts felt in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Bolan, Loralai, Musakhail, Sibi, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad and Chaman

The PDMA had completed arrangements for rescue and relief efforts needed in the event of any emergency.

Quetta and many other parts of Balochistan have suffered several strong earthquakes in the past, including the most devastating one in May 1935.

In September 2013, over 700 people died after a powerful earthquake in Awaran district.

Although the provincial capital is in the red zone on a fault line, there is practically no restriction on construction of multi-storey buildings.

“Quetta has become a jungle of buildings and the institutions concerned, including the metropolitan corporation and cantonment board, have failed to implement the building code,” an official of metrological department said.

According to Prof Deen Muhammad Kakar of the Geology Department of Balochistan University, Quetta is on one of the seven major fault lines in the world and multi-storey concrete buildings in narrow streets of the city would pose a major threat during a powerful earthquake.

He said insecure and risky electrical cables might add to destruction and create problems in taking heavy machinery into streets for rescue work.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2015

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