Deadly 7.5-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts South Asia · Global Voices
Sheema Khan

The Hindu Kush region, where the epicentre of the earthquake was. The mountain ranges mainly run thru Afganistan and Pakistan. Image from Flickr by LensNMatter. CC BY
Updated 8:30 a.m. GMT Tuesday, 27 October, 2015
A powerful earthquake hit northern Afghanistan earlier, with tremors being felt in Pakistan and India as well. The magnitude 7.5 quake was centred in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, 45 kilometres (28 miles) south-west of Jarm, Afghanistan, the US Geological Survey reported.
The death toll from an earthquake crossed 200 in Pakistan, according to BBC. Local news channels reported 231 dead and over a thousand injured. At least 33 died in Afghanistan.
Schools in Pakistan's quake-hit areas will remain closed on Tuesday, October 27, due to possible aftershocks, according to local media:
Educational institutions in quake-hit areas to remain closed tomorrow #earthquake pic.twitter.com/Tjv3F9AnGf
— JAAG TV (@JaagAlerts) October 26, 2015
After the earthquake, accounts of eyewitnesses started to flood the Internet, as well as sympathies from around the world:
#AFG One of the scariest experiences. Was stuck inside a building during this massive earthquakes, I have experienced.
— Bilal Sarwary (@bsarwary) October 26, 2015
Really strong tremor felt here in #Kabul – not for long thankfully. Was a bit scary for as long as it lasted. Ok now #Afghanistan
— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) October 26, 2015
Looks like that quake shook Pakistan too. Went on for quite a bit. Panic, power outage in #Kabul #KabulQuake
— Ahmad Shuja احمدشجاع (@AhmadShuja) October 26, 2015
#Karachi Office building evacuated after #Earthquake hits Pakistan 7.7 scale pic.twitter.com/SIVPH9sxo9
— Imran Ghazali (@ImranGhazaliPK) October 26, 2015
Metro #Rawalpindi at the time of #EarthquakeInPakistan pic.twitter.com/AjFhFHKE01
— Arshad Sharif (@arsched) October 26, 2015
A lot of Twitter users were spreading messages about how to stay safe when an earthquake hits.
Some basic earthquake safety tips here: https://t.co/lVJguRNXid pic.twitter.com/Lz2iNPXAyO
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) October 26, 2015
What to do during an #earthquake. Pls share. Image via @iqrabashir482pic.twitter.com/vM1tl8icLp
— Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) October 26, 2015
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also expressed themselves on social media after the earthquake. Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while speaking to the media said that he has cut his trip to London short due to the disaster and should be returning to Pakistan soon.
Spoke to PM Nawaz Sharif & expressed condolences on the loss of lives due to the quake. Offered all possible assistance from India. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015
Praying for the victims of today's severe earthquake in AFG & the region. V're assessing the situation. Relief/rescue operation is underway. — Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) October 26, 2015
A Pakistani website put together a timeline of the deadliest earthquakes in the past 30 years. Today's earthquake was, however, was one of the strongest ones to have hit Pakistan.
This video uploaded in Facebook shows how a ceiling fan shook when the deadly earthquake struck Pakistan earlier today.
Eyewitnesses told news channels on television that the earth beneath their feet shook for many, many seconds.
Massive earth quake felt in F11 Islamabad. Buildings being evacuated. People screaming Allah o Akbar
— Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) October 26, 2015
Major Earthquake has hit our mother land Paksitan. All our prays and well wishes are with the families.May Allah protect all of us. Ameen
— Saeed Ajmal (@REALsaeedajmal) October 26, 2015
#earthquake strikes due to our sins,so recite Astaghfar and beg from Allah to forgive our sins.indeed Allah is the best listener
— Sumaira Jamil (@real_sumaira) October 26, 2015
Hearing of a massive earthquake in Pakistan, Afghanistan & India.Our prayers for everyones safety & well being. May Allah have mercy on all.
— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) October 26, 2015
After the earthquake, telephone, mobile and Internet networks came to a stand still in some places:
For 20 minutes mobile network remained choked after earthquake in Delhi.I dread to think what will happen when a deadly disaster strikes us?
— InimitableIndian (@skv_india) October 26, 2015
Mobile network not available #earthquake
— Azeem Wyne (@AzeemWyne) October 26, 2015
Telecom towers do not crash/collapse this easily. The networks r unavailable cuz of serious line blocking (TCH channel blocking) #ProTip
— Faisal Ahmad Jafri (@faisalahmadj) October 26, 2015
#earthquake Mobile network restored in #srinagar
— Aakiz Bhat (@bhataky) October 26, 2015
Its natural as the scale of earthquake was huge and people dial up their friends relatives ASAP Cellular network iPAK is severely congested
— Hassan Khan (@hassan_k82) October 26, 2015
Google announced it had expanded its Person Finder services to Pakistan and Afghanistan following the quake:
Want to locate some or report someone's location at Google's Person Finder to help locate missing people #Earthquake https://t.co/ICOmk2uC7l
— AZ | علی زین (@alimaan) octubre 26, 2015
After Google, people have also started marking themselves safe on Facebook to inform their friends and family.
Facebook has introduced ‘Mark yourself safe’ for Afghanistan, Pakistan, India earthquake pic.twitter.com/vNlnGkj0SL — Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) October 26, 2015