People evacuate from houses after a strong earthquake in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Oct. 26, 2015. At least two people were killed and 37 were injured when an earthquake measuring 8.1 at Richter Scale hit Pakistan on Monday, local media and met office said. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and 200 others were injured when an earthquake measuring 8.1 at Richter Scale hit Pakistan on Monday, local media and meteorological office said.
Aaj TV said that the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was the worst hit area, being closest to the epicenter, where many buildings collapsed and over 100 people were shifted to hospitals.
Telecommunication services were suspended in many areas of the country as the strong tremors levelled many mobile towers to the ground.
Sports and education activities were halted in many parts of the country.
Local met office said that the quake hit the country at about 2:09 p.m. (local time) and its epicenter was determined in Mount Hindukush, located along Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with a focal depth of 193 km.
Losses are being recorded in various areas of the country by the national and provincial disaster management authorities.
The country's Prime Minister directed the concerned officials to provide relief to the affected people.
The country's Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, directed military personnel to report about the losses to him, and a state of emergency has been imposed in all the military hospitals.
The USGS initially reported the quake was at 7.7 magnitude, and later adjusted to 7.5 magnitude.
