Island emerges off Pakistan after earthquake

The massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake that jolted Pakistan's Balochistan province Tuesday has created an island off the coast of Gwadar port, a media report said.

According to officials, the island - about 200 metres long, 20 metres high and 100 metres wide - emerged soon after the earthquake, Dawn reported Wednesday.

"The island popped up soon after the earthquake. Our staff stationed in Gwadar has reported that the island is about one and a half km away from the coastline," the report quoted Asif Inam, principal scientific officer of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), as saying.

"The island appears to be about 200 metres long, 20 metres high and 100 metres wide. But all this information needs to be verified scientifically," he added.

An NIO team would visit the site this week to gather further information, the report said.

The earthquake struck Awaran and its neighbouring districts at 4.29 p.m. Tuesday.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said that several aftershocks, including one of 5.9 magnitude, were recorded following the major quake and strong tremors were also felt in south Sindh and east Punjab provinces of the country.