Thousands of people are waiting for relief in the earthquake-hit village of Mashkel in the province of Balochistan. The border-town village was hit Tuesday by a massive earthquake of 7.8 magnitude on Richter scale with its epicenter in Iran. The earthquake jolted the village to the extent that most of its mud houses and shops were destroyed.
The village population of around 15,000 was without a single medical practitioner before Mashkel was hit by the earthquake. The only available medical facility was a rural health center, which could hardly cater for the critically injured. According to details, at least 40 people have died and more than 100 were injured in the earthquake. Army helicopters have so far airlifted about 20 people who were critically injured and shifted them to the Central Military Hospital in Quetta.
The Pakistan army is also taking relief goods to the affected area but the locals complained that eatables, drinking water and tents were still in shortage. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, five helicopters had reached Mashkel along with the medical staff, tents, 1,000 kilogram of medicines and 1,800 kilogram of rations along with other relief items on an emergency basis.
Mashkel was twice struck with aftershocks on Wednesday, which sent a wave of panic across the border town. The earthquake has razed more than 2,000 houses and scores of shops to ground in the area. The head of elders of Mashkel Haji Abdur Rasheed Reiki told local media that only the military was providing them help. “The military assistance is limited and there are no signs of any civilian administration,” he said, adding that most of the families were forced to take shelter under trees. The residents of the area also said that electricity was provided by Iran in the area and since the earthquake they were without power.
Inspector-General of Frontier Constabulary Maj-General Ubaidullah Khan Khattak visited the affected areas on Wednesday morning. Khattak ordered the Frontier Constabulary personnel stationed in the area to provide help to the affected people.