Islamabad: The toll in Wednesday's devastating earthquake in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan rose to 300 Friday, officials said.

Around 40,000 people were displaced and 200 villages affected in the 6.2 magnitude quake early Wednesday, the state-run PTV reported.

The Dawn newspaper Friday said that thousands of quake-affected people are still spending nights in freezing cold without proper shelter and food.

The provincial administration has sent tents, blankets and other relief items to the affected areas, but the goods are yet to reach to a majority of the affected people because of poor road conditions.

The aftershocks have made it difficult to undertake relief operations, officials said. Over 250 aftershocks have been recorded since Wednesday's quake, the Daily Times newspaper quoted a weather official as saying. He said the aftershocks are likely to continue next week.

Chairman of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Farooq Ahmed Khan, said at least 2,000 houses were destroyed in the quake.

NDMA said 2,000 tents, 5,000 blankets and other supplies have been dispatched to Balochistan, but due to poor road conditions their delivery is getting delayed.

 

Source : IANS