11 injured as earthquake rocks parts of KP

MANSEHRA: Eleven persons were injured when an earthquake rocked parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early on Friday.
Registered at 5.6 on the open-ended Richter scale, the earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks that caused fear among the people in Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Torghar, Swat and Shangla district. It was acutely felt in Balakot, a town in Mansehra district that was destroyed by the devastating earthquake in October 8, 2005.
The epicentre of the earthquake on Friday was stated to be 51 kms northeast of Mansehra. Earlier reports had said the epicentre was near the confluence of the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
According to the Meteorology Department in Islamabad, the epicentre was almost the same as the previous earthquake that hit the region some 10 years ago. “We have been expecting more such aftershocks from the epicentre which had triggered the high intensity earthquake of 7.6 on the Richter scale in 2005,” said Mohammad Kashif, a meteorologist.
Six people sustained minor injuries when they jumped out of windows and glass-door of the Plaza Hotel in Lari Adda area of Mansehra.The injured were taken to the King Abdullah Hospital and sent home after first-aid.
Five people were also taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Battagram with minor injuries and were discharged after getting first-aid.“We have dispatched our staff to three tehsils of Mansehra district but have not received any report of casualty or damage to property,” said Aamer Khattak, the deputy commissioner of Mansehra.
He said that following the earthquake, officials of the concerned departments were put on high alert. Assistant Commissioner, Battagram, Sheheryar Gul, said that no report of substantial damage had yet been received by the administration.“Some houses in far-off areas of the district were damaged.”