6 children among 20 dead after 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits Pakistan

At least 20 people were killed and over 300 others injured after a powerful 5.9 magnitude earthquake jolted a mountainous part of Pakistan's Balochistan province early on Thursday, October 7, 2021, collapsing several houses.

According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS) of Pakistan, an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 occurred around 3:30 am on October 7 at a depth of around 20 kilometres. The agency added that the epicentre of the earthquake was near Harnai.

The death toll of 20 was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner of Harnai District Sohail Anwar Hashmi. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said many of the dead were women and children.

The worst-affected area was the remote mountainous city of Harnai, where a lack of paved roads, electricity and mobile phone coverage hampered rescuers. Besides, the quake affected Quetta, Sibi, Harnai, Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Chaman, Ziarat and Zhob in Balochistan.

Pakistan straddles the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making the country susceptible to earthquakes.

In October 2015, a 7.5-magnitude quake in Pakistan and Afghanistan killed almost 400 people across rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts.

The country was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake on October 8, 2005, that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless.