5 injured as 7.9 magnitude quake hits Pakistan

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Five people were killed in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday when the region was struck by tremors from an earthquake that was centred in neighbouring Iran, Pakistani officials said.

ISLAMABAD - At least five people were injured when a strong earthquake measuring 7.9 at Richter scale rocked parts of Pakistan's southern Sindh and southwest Balochistan province on Tuesday afternoon, local Urdu TV Geo reported.

Arif Mahmood, Director General of Pakistan Meteorological Office, said that the earthquake tremors were felt at about 3:44 p. m. (local time) in Karachi, Hyderabad and adjacent areas in Sindh and Hub, Quetta and their neighboring areas in Balochistan.

He said the tremors were felt for about 20 to 25 seconds in the country, adding that the earthquake's after-shocks are likely to be felt in the next few hours.

The earthquake's epicenter laid on Pakistan-Iran border at the depth of 76 km deep down the earth.

The earthquake jolted buildings and created panic among the people.

Window panes of several houses and buildings also broke in the earthquake, injuring five people in various area.  

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was in Iran. Tremors were also felt across the Middle East region.