South Asia earthquake kills at least 30,000
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-10-10 05:57

"We are handling the worst disaster in Pakistan's history," said Major General Shaukat Sultan, Pakistan's top military spokesman.

People mourns deaths of their family members, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005, killed by a huge earthquake in Gari Habibullah, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Islamabad, Pakistan.  [AP]

"We do seek international assistance," Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said. "We have enough manpower, but we need financial support."

The quake and its aftershocks were felt from central Afghanistan to western Bangladesh.

Earlier Pakistan's Interior Minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao said at least 1,748 people had died in Pakistan and 17,388 in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, and a further 42,397 were injured. The worst hit city was Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, where 11,000 died, Sherpao said.

Zeeshan sits on rubble of his house destroyed by a huge earthquake in Gari Habibullah, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005.  [AP]

 

Indian authorities reported 689 deaths and 900 injured, while Afghanistan reported at least four deaths.

In India-controlled Kashmir, most deaths occurred in the towns of Uri, Tangdar and Punch and in the city of Srinagar, said B.B. Vyas, the area's divisional commissioner.