More than 20 people have been killed and 200 others injured in a powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Pakistan this morning, leading to the collapse of many buildings, most of which were made of mud. Authorities are still working to reach coal mine workers trapped underground due to the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter scale, hitting the Balochistan province.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake's epicenter, measured at 5.9 magnitude, was located 14 kilometers north-northeast of Harnai in Balochistan. Local deputy commissioner, Suhail Anwar Shaheen, indicated that the death toll is expected to rise further as rescue teams continue their search in the remote mountainous area, according to Reuters.
Shaheen mentioned, citing coal miners in the region, that at least four of the victims died when the coal mine they were working in collapsed. Up to 100 homes also collapsed, burying residents inside. The earthquake caused widespread power outages in the area, forcing medical teams to provide first aid to the injured using temporary lighting in hospitals that are inadequately equipped to handle such a number of casualties.
Rescue teams are making efforts to save more than 15 miners trapped in a coal mine on the outskirts of the province. It should be noted that Pakistan is not immune to earthquakes; in 2015, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake resulted in hundreds of deaths in remote mountainous areas. Additionally, the Kashmir region experienced a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in 2005, which killed over 73,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million residents.
