4 dead, 76 injured as 5.8 magnitude earthquake jolts PoK

Four persons were killed and 76 others sustained injuries on Tuesday in Mirpur and other parts of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a powerful earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale, Geo News reported.

The epicentre of the quake was registered at a depth of 10 kilometres, about one kilometre southeast of Mirpur, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Tremors were felt across Delhi, the national capital region, Punjab and Haryana, as well as in major cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) have been directed to carry out rescue operations and gather data on the damage due to the quake. In addition, an emergency has been imposed in hospitals in the region, Deputy Commissioner Raja Qaiser said.

Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has dispatched troops and medical support teams to assist the civil administration in the rescue operation.

"COAS directs immediate rescue operation in aid of civil administration for victims of the earthquake in AJK. Army troops with aviation and medical support teams dispatched," DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor tweeted.