By Jaime Ortega.
A medium size magnitude earthquake with a preliminary of 5.7 struck northwest Pakistan and India, according to the US Geological Survey.
The cities affected in Pakistan included Lahore, Peshawar, Jhang, Sargodha, Narowal, Gujrat, Sialkot, Skardu, Chiniot and Kasur.There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties.
“The quake was 10 kms deep and struck at 6:57 GMT about 140 km northeast of Sialkot in Pakistan,” according to the USGS. Powerful, medium size quakes are capable of causing extensive damage.
Pakistan bore the brunt of a powerful quake centred in Iran last month, killing at least 35 people in Pakistan and destroying hundreds of houses.
In Northern India, two persons were killed, and 69, including 32 students, were injured and scores of buildings damaged in Jammu and Kashmir.Twin districts of Kishtwar and Doda in Jammu region were the hardest hit where nearly 400 structures, including schools, hospitals and houses, developed cracks.
The quake in India, measured 5.8 on the Richter scale, struck Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of North India including the national capital and its satellite towns around 12.27 pm.
The tremors of the quake were felt in Punjab and Haryana but there were no immediate reports of any casualty or damage in either of the two states.
In Himachal Pradesh, the shake lasted nearly 30 seconds and was felt from tribal Lahaul and Spiti valley to foothills of Una.
A few houses were damaged in Chamba as frightened people scampered out of their houses on to the streets in the hill state.
The quake was also felt in Kangra, Palampur, Solan, Hamirpur and other places in the state but no one was injured.
