3.4 magnitude earthquake jolts Lahore, Sheikhupura
An earthquake of 3.4 magnitude hit Lahore, Sheikhupura and adjacent areas on Wednesday.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – An earthquake measuring 3.4 at the Richter Scale jolted Lahore and Sheikhupura on early Wednesday morning.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake was felt in Lahore and Sheikhupura at 3:48am. The epicenter of the quake was 50 kilometre west of Lahore at the depth of 30 kilometre.
The tremor spread panic among the residents who came out of their homes while reciting Kalma Tayyab. No loss of life or damage to property was reported till filing of this report.
Earthquake Horror
The series of aftershocks and low intensity jolts are haunting reminders as terrifying memories of the earlier record breaking earthquake that severely rattled the country on 26th of October are still fresh in the minds of people. The 8.1 earthquake left more than 260 dead and thousands homeless throughout the country, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) suffering the greatest damage. Relief agencies are still battling to reach cold and hungry survivors of the devastating earthquake, with entire communities still cut off in the mountainous region.
Casualties were also seen in Afghanistan. Afghan officials stated that at least 115 people were confirmed dead and hundreds more had been injured, with casualties reported from around half a dozen of the country s 34 provinces, and more than 7,600 homes reported damaged.
The quake was centred near Jurm in northeast Afghanistan, 250 kilometres (160 miles) from the capital Kabul and at a depth of 213.5 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes, as it lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
Large swathes of Badakhshan, the remote province where the epicenter is located, and other quake-stricken areas are effectively controlled by the Taliban, which Western charities said is hindering access to victims.
October 2005
The earthquake of October 2015 bore an eerie resemblance to the disastrous 7.6 intensity quake that shook the country on October 8th in 2005, which left more than 85000 dead in the country. Extensive loss of lives and damage was seen in the North of Pakistan as enitre villages disappeared beneath the rubble. International response to the humanitarian crisis was tremendous as relief came from all around corners of the world. However, the calamitous effects were to such an extent that they can still be seen today in the country.
