Giant earthquake recalls another in Pakistan 10 years ago

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the mountainous region of northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, with aftershocks infiltrating northern Pakistan and India. It wasn’t the first time.

In 2005, an earthquake of about the same size hit northern Pakistan and the disputed Kashmir region. The official death toll from that quake, which devastated densely populated areas and caused businesses, homes and schools to collapse, was more than 87,000 people.

This week’s earthquake might have exacted a lower toll of at least 300 people, but it created as much anxiety, said Dr. Arif Noor, Mercy Corps country director for Pakistan based in Islamabad, where the earthquake also was felt.

A man and his son clear the rubble from their house after it was damaged by an earthquake in Behsud district of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, on Oct. 27. Photo by Parwiz/Reuters

The quake, which lasted about 45 seconds, felt like an eternity, said Noor. And the subsequent tremors were intense. “Last night, many people preferred to stay outside,” too scared to sleep inside their damaged homes, he said.

Just as with the earthquake 10 years ago, which also occurred in October, winter is approaching in the remote mountainous areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Temperatures in the mountains are dropping below freezing at night and some areas already have seen snow, said Noor.

In addition to erecting shelters to block the cold, people need everyday household items. “Many people lost everything they owned when their homes collapsed, and need basic household items like a stove, propane and pots and pans, along with clothes, blankets and other essential supplies,” said Matthew Graydon with the International Organization for Migration in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Map shows the epicenter of the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India on Oct. 26. Courtesy of the International Organization for Migration

But both Graydon and Noor said getting supplies to people in the affected areas will be challenging. Key roads in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, where the earthquake originated, are blocked by fallen rocks and landslides resulting from the quake. And roads in Pakistan’s mountainous terrain have similar problems.

Until roads are cleared or temporary ones built, the Pakistan and Afghan militaries, along with the United Nations, are expected to send helicopters to deliver supplies once needs are assessed, the men said.

Vehicles jam the road after an overpass was briefly closed to vehicular traffic for precautionary measures following an earthquake in Srinagar in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir on Oct. 26. A powerful earthquake struck a remote area of northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, shaking the capital Kabul and sending shockwaves to northern India and Pakistan. Photo by Danish Ismail/Reuters

In the meantime, people with cracked or crumbled homes are staying with relatives and friends, said Graydon. In addition, “some families have lost crops and livestock, affecting their livelihoods.”

Reconstructing the mud buildings and recovering people’s livelihoods will take time, said Noor. In March, when it gets warmer, rebuilding is expected to begin in earnest, he said.

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