Huge Earthquake in Pakistan/India

[Hill-Shatar]

Story is here. Read it was a 7.6 earthquake.

(CNN) -- Emergency workers are working through the night to pull out the trapped, treat the injured and feed the homeless survivors of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that devastated the south Asian subcontinent Saturday.

The confirmed death toll in India and Pakistan stands at 1,337, with Pakistan bearing the brunt. More than 1,000 of the deaths have been reported in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and officials fear the death toll will rise much higher.

The quake also triggered landslides, resulting in the closure of some highways and hampering efforts to reach remote areas, officials said.

Aftershocks continue to rattle the region, including one of 6.3 magnitude and four more at 5.4 or above.

A CNN producer in Lahore, Pakistan, reported a minor aftershock Sunday around 2 a.m. (5 p.m. Saturday ET).

From Indian-controlled Kashmir to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, many people refused to return indoors and chose to sleep outside.

Frantic efforts to rescue survivors were still under way in Islamabad early Sunday morning. Video footage from Pakistani television showed crowds of people climbing on the rubble of an apartment building and attempting to free those trapped under large concrete slabs. Some of the injured were carried away on stretchers. (Watch the latest rescue efforts - 1:10)

The quake hit Saturday at 8:50 a.m. (11:50 p.m. ET Friday). Its epicenter was about 60 miles north-northeast of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. (See scenes of major damage in the capital - :44)

Many people were still in their beds when the quake struck. Witness Malik Abdul Manan, who lives in Islamabad, said he and his family "woke up and ran out. The shocks went on for a long time." (More witness accounts)

Qamar Uz Zaman, director-general of the Pakistani Meteorological Department, told CNN that "this was the strongest earthquake in the area during the last hundred years."

Relief began within 'minutes'
Political tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region took a back seat Saturday as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to offer help. Musharraf thanked him for his offer.

Musharraf called the quake "a major catastrophe" and said that "relief efforts began minutes" after it happened.

Pakistan's military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan told CNN it was the largest relief operation the country has ever mobilized.

Tents, sleeping bags, blankets, water, food and a lot of help were arriving from all over the country and overseas, said Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

"The government has moved quickly, and we hope that we can minimize the losses," he said.

The United States, Britain, Germany, Turkey, Japan, the United Nations and non-governmental humanitarian groups have marshaled resources to help the region. (Details)

Most deaths in Kashmir
Of the 1,080 deaths confirmed in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, 520 were in North-West Frontier province, 310 in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and 50 in the Pakistani cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Also, 200 Pakistani soldiers were killed in Kashmir and northern areas of Pakistan, and 300 others were injured, Sultan told CNN.

The figures come from police, the Interior Ministry and hospitals.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir, or Jammu-Kashmir, at least 256 people were killed, including 36 soldiers, according to local government, army and police officials.

Some 700 people were injured there, including 82 soldiers, police and military said. And local officials estimate more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged across Jammu-Kashmir.

The disputed Kashmir territory is separated by a territorial border called the Line of Control.

In New Delhi, some 400 miles from Islamabad, buildings swayed and furniture moved, causing people to panic and rush into the streets. The Indian government activated its national disaster plan.

Damage and casualties also were reported in remote northeast Afghanistan.

One death was reported near the Pakistan border in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, where several homes collapsed.

Technical Sgt. Marina Evans, speaking for the U.S.-led coalition forces in Kabul, said the earthquake was felt in the Afghan capital of Kabul, "but the effects were minimal," she said. "Items on desks shook, but nothing fell from the walls or shelves."

U.S. Central Command confirmed that no coalition assets were damaged, and no one was injured.

Frantic rescue operation
Musharraf and Aziz reviewed rescue and relief operations at the collapsed apartment building -- the 10-story residential Margalla Tower.

About 100 people were thought to be still trapped in the rubble 15 hours after the earthquake hit, CNN's Satinder Bindra reported. So far, 25 bodies have been pulled out as well as eight survivors, who were rushed to the hospital.

Rescue workers said they could hear voices from the wreckage and were feverishly working with heavy machinery and axes to cut through the reinforced concrete.

Rain and brisk winds hampered the effort late Saturday, but in the early hours of Sunday, the weather had cleared.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and senior military and civilian officials, were overseeing the operations and briefed the leaders.

The government said Pakistan Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Administration and Capital Development Authority took part in the operations.

City officials are trying to obtain heavy earth- and rubble-moving machinery from the private sector to help rescue the trapped people.

How the quake compares with others
The quake was "quite shallow," said David Applegate, senior science advisor for earthquake and geologic hazards for the U.S. Geological Survey. "That means the shaking is going to be very intense."

The fact that Islamabad was near the epicenter "means a fairly large urban population has experienced some strong shaking," Applegate said.

The National Earthquake Information Center put the quake at 7.6 magnitude, which it considers "major." The Pakistani Meteorological Department put the magnitude at 7.5, and Japan's Meteorological Agency put it at 7.8.

In February 2004, a pair of earthquakes registering 5.5 and 5.4 magnitude killed at least 21 people and injured dozens more. Hundreds of homes built of mud, stone and timber were destroyed in a rugged, mountainous area about 90 miles northwest of Islamabad.

In January 2001, some 20,000 people died in a magnitude 7.7 quake that was centered in southern India but also caused damage and deaths in Pakistan.

CNN's Satinder Bindra, Syed Mohsin Naqvi and John Raedler as well as journalists Mukhtar Ahmed and Tom Coghlan contributed to this report.

I am going to look around and see what else I can find.

Another link found while searching, about USGS in pakistan, and the preliminary report for that area.

BBC's nws article on it. Also just heard a rumour involving children who are trapped inside schools from the TV.

USGS Earthquake Records... the top until the space are todays seismic activities.

[CM]

Thankfully my entire family is safe. However one of my collegues from work has her cousin in the collapsed tower in Islamabad. All prayers for her cousin would be greatly appreciated.

[Coot]

Today Musharraf said the death toll was over 18.000.

[fable]

I'm sorry to hear that about your colleague's cousin, Fas. Hopefully, all of your friends there will be safe, as well.

[Fiona]

I just heard that they now estimate 19000 dead. There's nothing helpful to say in the face of this.

[dragon wench]

Fas,
I am glad that you and your family are safe. I recalled your having posted that WR is in Pakistan right now....so I was concerned. *hug*
I can only hope that your colleague's cousin is also safe.....

The death toll has climbed to over 30,000 according to this story..
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...International/

Yes.. what can we possibly say to an event like this? Words seem so trite....

[Hill-Shatar]

Im so sorry, Fas. I hope your collegue's cousin makes it through this OK. They are still finding suriviors. Its good to hear that none of your fasmily was hurt in any way, and that they are all currently safe.

All I can think is how many tragedies these people have alreadsy gone through in the last few years... it seems to be taking a turn for the worst. Hopefully sometime soon things will look up again.

How are you doing Fas? Holding toegether? Have you lost anyone you have known yet? If you have, I am so sorry...

[Luis Antonio]

I'm astonished. Damn.

[Galuf the Dwarf]

My prayers go to all in Pakistan and India.

Why do I get this feeling that Turkey's gonna get some nasty natural occurence next?