Our Correspondent
Mirpur
At least 67 individuals suffered minor injuries in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Mirpur city after a shallow tremor hit Mirpur on Thursday. Tremors were also felt in Jhelum and adjoining areas.
According to the medical superintendent of Divisional Headquarters Hospital in Mirpur, Dr Farooq Noor, the injuries occurred in Thothal, Kalyal and a katchi abadi in F1 sector of Mirpur.
Pakistan’s top meteorologist, Muhammad Riaz, said the epicentre of the 4.4-magnitude tremor was 12 kilometres deep. “It’s hell. I am running to save my life,” Mohammad Bilal, told media moments after the tremor.
“I thought most of the building would have tumbled down,” said Sagheer Ahmad. “Allah is very kind to us.”
City residents huddled in the streets, some still barefoot, others reciting verses from the Quran. Some patients were also evacuated from a nearby hospital.
Citing the “situation resulting from the devastating quake aftershocks”, the authorities announced that schools in the Mirpur district will remain closed on September 27-28.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir University also announced it was postponing all examinations scheduled for September 27 till October 7.
The US Geological Survey put the quake at 4.7-magnitude and 10 kilometres deep, adding that it had struck just four kilometres outside of Mirpur.
Additionally, the National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Islamabad recorded a 4.4-magnitude quake 6km north of Jhelum with the depth of 12km.
Minor tremors were also felt in Lahore and Sialkot, causing many residents to leave their homes and offices.
Taking to Twitter, various people said they had felt minor tremors in Lahore, with some speculating that they may have been aftershocks from the devastating earthquake two days ago.
