A shallow magnitude-5.9 earthquake rocked Pakistan's Balochistan province early Friday, killing over 20 people and injuring 300+ in one of the year's deadliest natural disasters. The quake struck near Quetta, with the worst damage reported in Harnai district where homes crumbled like sandcastles 🏚️.
What Happened?
The tremor hit at 3:17 AM local time while most residents slept, according to Pakistan's National Seismic Monitoring Center. Rescue teams raced to dig survivors from collapsed mud-brick houses using bare hands and machinery under floodlights 🔦.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Pakistan's military has deployed helicopters 🚁 and engineers to the region. 'This is a massive tragedy,' said Balochistan spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani in a Twitter video from the scene. Hospitals are overwhelmed with injured patients, many requiring critical care.
Meteorologists warn of aftershock risks in the coming days. The quake follows months of heavy monsoon rains that destabilized soil in the mountainous region 🏔️.
