Islamabad, Pakistan — A major earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale rocked large sections of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India Monday, killing at least two people, damaging scores of buildings and triggering landslides.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered in the Hindu Kush area of northeastern Afghanistan, near the border with the Soviet Union. The earthquake, which struck shortly after noon, recorded a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale of 10, survey
Officials said.
There were only sketchy reports of casualties and damage. But at least two people were killed and three others were injured in the Chitral district of northern Pakistan. Scores of buildings were damaged in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, and communications were also disrupted, officials said.
An earthquake that measured: 7.2 on the Richter scale caused many casualties and damage in the same area Dec. 30, 1983, geological survey officials said.
Aftershocks were felt for several seconds, sending panicked residents of Islamabad and Peshawar fleeing into the streets as the doors and windows of their houses rattled.
A road about 20 miles from the town of Chitral was blocked by a landslide, Pakistani authorities reported, and several houses and stores collapsed in the town of Manshera, north of Islamabad.
Heavy landslides were also reported on mountains northeast of Islamabad.
The earthquake also jolted the Afghan capital of Kabul, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage.
The Press Trust of India news agency reported “‘people ran out of offices and houses in panic as a series of tremors lasting about one minute hit the (northern states of) Punjab, HaHimachal Pradesh ryana, and Kashmir.”
“The tremors caused panic particularly among people residing or working on the upper floors of multistoried buildings,” PTI reported.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1985
