Somali National News Agency
So
Ar
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
    Local NewsShow More
    Somali Foreign Minister Welcomes Djiboutian Counterpart to Mogadishu
    August 28, 2025
    Somali Government Provides Details on Visit of UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
    August 28, 2025
    Somalia’s Ambassador to Turkey Praises New Diplomatic Relations with Kazakhstan
    August 28, 2025
    Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA) Launches New E-Visa System to Modernize Immigration and Boost Security
    August 28, 2025
    Somali Cabinet Approves Key Defense Agreements with Jordan, Qatar, and Pakistan
    August 28, 2025
  • World News
    World NewsShow More
    Hamas accepts an Arab ceasefire proposal on Gaza as Palestinian death toll passes 62,000
    August 19, 2025
    “Gunman Kills 3 in Texas; Explosion in Pennsylvania Leaves 2 Dead”
    August 12, 2025
    Somali-American Candidate Abdirizak Mohamed Ali Runs for Mayor of Hopkins, Minnesota
    August 8, 2025
    Israel kills aid worker in Gaza amid rising starvation deaths, US envoy meets with hostages’ families
    August 3, 2025
    Ghana Donates 40 Metric Tonnes of Cocoa to Palestine in Act of Solidarity
    August 2, 2025
  • Articles
    ArticlesShow More
    Somalia’s Political Leaders Forge a Path to Democracy
    August 25, 2025
    Ode to Yan’an: How a Song Inspired Chinese Youth During Wartime
    August 19, 2025
    Somalia’s Story Is More Than the Siege Narrative. It’s Time the World Reported It That Way
    August 13, 2025
    Somali and Allied Forces Deal Major Blow to Al-Shabaab in Coordinated Offensive
    August 6, 2025
    Somalia’s Financial War Against Al-Shabaab: Key Achievements and Strategic Milestones (2022–2025)
    August 4, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Somalia Unveils the Blueprint for a Modern and Sustainable Mogadishu
    December 21, 2024
    Djibouti Launches $57.4 Million Youth Entrepreneurship Project to Combat Climate Change
    November 25, 2024
    FM meets Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia
    October 28, 2024
    President Hassan Sheikh Inaugurates New LPG Storage Center in Mogadishu
    May 12, 2024
    Collaboration of ICT transformation for digital Infrastructure
    October 24, 2023
  • Sports
    SportsShow More
    Mogadishu Stadium to Host Star-Studded Match Featuring Somali Legends and International Football Icons
    May 27, 2025
    Arsenal held at Brighton while Man City bounce-back continues
    January 5, 2025
    Galmudug wins the Inter-State Football Tournament
    January 29, 2024
    Somalia set for two int’l friendlies ahead of WC qualifier clashes against Algeria and Uganda
    October 10, 2023
    Chicago woman, 104, skydives from plane, aiming for record as the world’s oldest skydiver
    October 3, 2023
  • Tenders
    TendersShow More
Reading: Strong earthquake in southwest Pakistan kills at least 20
Share
Font ResizerAa
Somali National News AgencySomali National News Agency
  • SOMALI
  • ARABIC
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
Follow US
©2023 || All rights reserved SONNA
Somali National News Agency > Blog > Local News > Strong earthquake in southwest Pakistan kills at least 20
Local NewsWorld News

Strong earthquake in southwest Pakistan kills at least 20

By Osman
Last updated: October 7, 2021
4 Min Read
Share
A local resident looks his damaged house following a severe earthquake hit the area, in Harnai, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Quetta, Pakistan, Thursday, Pakistan. A powerful earthquake shook parts of southwestern Pakistan early Thursday. (AP Photo)

QUETTA, Pakistan — A powerful earthquake collapsed at least one coal mine and dozens of mud houses in southwest Pakistan early Thursday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 200, an official said.

The death toll was expected to rise even further as crews searched in the remote mountainous area, said Suhail Anwar Shaheen, the local deputy commissioner.

At least four of the dead were killed when the coal mine in which they were working collapsed, said Shaheen, citing coal miners in the area. As many as 100 homes also collapsed, burying sleeping residents inside.

The epicenter of the 5.9 magnitude quake was about 9 miles north-northeast of Harnai in Baluchistan province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The initial measurement of the quake’s strength was 5.7 magnitude. It struck about 5.5 miles below the Earth’s surface; shallower quakes tend to cause more damage.

The area, about 60 miles from Quetta, the provincial capital, is dotted with coal mines, which has Shaheen worried the death toll could rise. It struck in the early morning while scores of miners were already at work, he said.

Pakistan’s military was deployed to the earthquake area to airlift dozens of injured from mountain peaks. At least nine critically injured people were taken to the provincial hospital in Quetta. Search and rescue teams have arrived in the mountains, an army statement said.

Concern has grown about scores of coal miners who might be trapped. Homes lay in heaps of mud and straw. Residents of small mountain villages were seen wandering stunned among the rubble.

“Women, children, everyone, was running here and there,” said resident Ghulam Khan. “We were scared and we didn’t know what to do.”

Ambulances soon arrived to transport the injured to the hospital in Harnai.

Doctors treated patients outside the hospital as 4.6 magnitude aftershocks continued into the morning hours. Children with bloodied bandages were in stretchers outside the hospital as ambulances brought more wounded.

“So far we have treated more than 200 casualties,” said Manzoor Ahmed, medical superintendent of the Harnai district hospital. The small rural facility has been taxed to the limit, he said. As many as 15 bodies were brought there.

Most of the population in the area live in sunbaked mud houses, many of which collapsed. Rescue efforts were underway, but Shaheen said it would take hours just to reach many of the hardest-hit areas.

Witnesses in the area said residents were wrapped in blankets against the cold, sitting on the side of the road waiting for the aftershocks to subside and for help to arrive.

The area is remote and already the autumn nighttime temperatures are chilly.

Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan lies on a seismically active region, according to the provincial disaster management authority. The worst earthquake, in 1935, destroyed the provincial capital of Baluchistan and killed more than 35,000 people. Since then, scores of earthquakes have rattled the province, Pakistan’s least populated, with just 12 million people.

Pakistan is a nation of 220 million people, 60% of whom live in the country’s eastern Punjab province.

Source: Agencies

Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Copy Link Print

MORE NEWS

Ode to Yan’an: How a Song Inspired Chinese Youth During Wartime

ArticlesCulture
August 19, 2025

Kenya’s small farmers find respite in avocados amid changing climate

NAIROBI(SONNA) As crop diseases and pests rise in Kenya amid a rapidly changing climate that…

March 11, 2023

Somali Foreign Minister Welcomes Djiboutian Counterpart to Mogadishu

Mogadishu, Somalia – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr.…

August 28, 2025

Nimcaan Hilaac appointed to lead Waberi National Band

Mogadishu (SONNA)-Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed…

March 3, 2020

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

AFRICOM’s Gen. Townsend meets African leaders at exercise African Lion

The Commander of U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, visited Morocco to attend the closing ceremony of Exercise…

Local News
June 21, 2021

President Hassan Sheikh speaks on the telephone with the US Secretary of State

Mogadishu, (SONNA) - The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held telephone conversations with United…

Local News
June 1, 2024

Somali PM receives EU Ambassador to Somalia

Mogadishu(SONNA)-Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Hussein Roble on Wednesday received the new European Union Ambassador…

Local News
September 15, 2021

Somalia’s Path to Membership in East African Community

Mogadishu(SONNA)- East Africa Community has officially opened its conference in Mogadishu, Somalia, marking a significant step towards the country's potential…

Local News
January 26, 2023

Somali National News Agency established in 1964. It is one of the main pillars of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
  • SNTV
  • RADIO MOGADISHU
  • DALKA JOURNAL
  • TOURISM DEPARTMENT

Follow US: 

  • MoICT
  • VILLA SOMALIA
  • OPM SOMALIA

All rights reserved SONNA

©2023

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?