ISLAMABAD, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The devastating earthquake that struck large parts of South Asia has provoked the biggest disaster in Pakistan's history, Pakistan's army spokesman said Sunday.

    "This disaster is by far the biggest in its magnitude and scale so far that we have witnessed in Pakistan's history," Major General Shaukat Sultan told reporters.

    Over 18,000 people have been killed and more than 41,000 people wounded in Pakistan in Saturday's quake and the death toll appears set to rise significantly, Sultan said.

    The general said there are many areas that so far have not been reached. The death toll of 18,000 could be many fold more as more and more dead bodies could be discovered under the rubble.

    The quake, which measured at least 7.6 on the Richter scale, struck parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan early on Saturday. Enditem