He said the tremors demolished hundreds of mud houses and it was feared that the death toll may increase. He added that a number of countries including Turkey and China have offered Pakistan all assistance, but NDMA and PDMA Balochistan are competent to deal with the relief and rescue operations.
Kamran said the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and the civil administration are carrying out rescue efforts in the affected region. Urban Search and Rescue Teams (with sniffer dogs and technical equipment) have also been dispatched to the affected areas. The teams involved in rescue and relief operations also include doctors and paramedical staff. A field hospital is being established at Awaran and additional teams comprising doctors and paramedics have also been sent there. A number of military and civil hospitals along with ambulances are engaged in rescue and relief efforts.
NDMA has placed 5,000 tents at the disposal of PDMA Balochistan from its strategic reserves at Karachi and has also mobilised its resources to provide 7,000 Food packs (53 Kgs each) to the affected people in Awaran and Kech. Forward Operating Bases are being established in Khuzdar and Bela for logistic support and provision of essential supplies (food and non-food items), whereas seriously injured are being shifted to Khuzdar CMH, Bela and Karachi.
After the earthquake, an island emerged at a distance of 5-km from the Gwadar coast which is 300 to 400 meters wide and around 10 meters in height. National Institute of Oceanography is collecting samples of the soil to determine its composition. Further information will be shared as the report is available.
Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem, Chairman NDMA is visiting Quetta to co-ordinate with the Provincial Government and oversee rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas. The help-lines have been established at National Emergency Operation Centre, NDMA to facilitate and co-ordinate responses.
The provincial government has declared emergency while rescue and relief operation has been started in the quake-hit areas by Army, NDMA, provincial authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). District Administration and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority are also doing their utmost efforts to provide relief to the suffering people in the area.
"We are seriously lacking medical facilities and there is no space to treat injured people in local hospitals. We are trying to shift seriously injured people to Karachi through helicopters and others to the neighbouring districts," he maintained. Awaran district has an estimated population of around 300,000, scattered over an area of more than 21,000 square kms, while total population of Kech district is around 150,000.
Tremors were also felt in Quetta, Hub, Khuzdar, Qalat, Sibi, Mastung, Jafferabad, Gwadar, Turbat, Panjgur, Kharan, Jhal Magsi, Noshki and the adjoining areas. However, except Turbat, no loss of life reported in these areas. Several areas in Sindh including Karachi were also hit by tremors, but no damage was done as its duration was very brief.