Earthquake: Over 200 mud houses damaged in Dalbandin

No casualties reported; total damage yet to be ascertained.

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked Pakistan early Wednesday morning has damaged over 200 mud houses in Dalbandin but no casualties have been reported so far.

Earlier, the US Geological Survey reported that a magnitude 7.4 magnitude earthquake had struck southwestern Pakistan, but later downgraded it to one with an intensity of 7.2 on the Richter scale. The depth of the quake was initially calculated at 6.3 miles, but was later revised to 52.2 miles.

Assistant Commissioner of Dalbandin Tufail Baloch told The Express Tribune that more than 200 mud houses had either collapsed or were partially damaged in Dalbandin, a city of 25,000 souls.

Some of the damaged structures were government offices. “No casualties were reported but the offices of deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, anti-narcotics force and Levies Station Dalbandin were partially damaged,” he said.

The city, situated in Chagai district, is 34 miles from where the quake struck at 1:23am local time. Chagai, populated by around 300,000 people, is Balochistan’s largest district in area.

Total damage, however, is yet to be ascertained. “A survey is being conducted to assess the damage and it
may be that other townships were affected as well,” Baloch said.

Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani confirmed that there were no reported casualties but said that more than 250 tents and blankets had been dispatched to Dalbandin. However, a C-130 flight carrying relief items for victims was cancelled due to inclement weather.

“The temperature has dropped to a negative in Dalbandin and people are still outside their houses,” resident Hyder Aajiz told The Express Tribune by phone. “No relief work has so far been started and people are afraid of staying indoors,” he said.

Two army helicopters and a small aircraft are currently on standby in Quetta with three medical teams to be deployed on short notice.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Chairman NDMA General Nadeem Ahmad said that all flights had been grounded because of bad weather but said he hoped that relief goods could be sent out by Thursday morning.

Later, Prime Minster Yousaf Raza Gilani, during his meeting with the chairman on Wednesday, finalised a contingency plan and asked the NDMA to rush relief items, including medicines.

A report compiled by the metrological department shows that, from 1902 to September 2010, there have been 6,849 earthquakes ranging from low to high intensity in the Pakistan region. The most powerful earthquake on record was in 1945 along the Makran coast. Its intensity was 8.3 on the Richter scale. It caused a tsunami in the Arabian Sea killing more than 4,000 people.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th,  2011.