ISLAMABAD, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed and dozens of houses were damaged after a moderate earthquake struck northern Pakistan on Monday, officials said.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said in a statement that the earthquake measured 5.8 in magnitude, with a depth of 10 km and its epicenter located in northwestern Kashmir.
Information Minister for Pakistan's northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan Ghulam Abbas told Xinhua that a man was killed after being struck by falling rocks on a road during the quake.
He said dozens of mud houses collapsed or were damaged in different parts of the mountainous region.
The minister added that landslides triggered by the earthquake blocked several roads and pathways, and government agencies had deployed machinery to clear debris and restore traffic.
Tremors were felt across a wide area, including the country's capital Islamabad, northwestern areas such as Peshawar, Swat and Mardan, as well as parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, causing panic among residents who rushed out of buildings. ■
