5.8 magnitude quake hits Afghanistan killing 8
Kabul (AP): An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 rattled parts of northern and eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan late Friday, killing at least eight people in Afghanistan, authorities said.
The region is highly seismically active, and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years. Friday's earthquake had an epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center and the US Geological Survey.
Hafizullah Basharat, a spokesman for the Kabul governor, said eight people were killed and a child was injured when a house collapsed on the outskirts of the capital. He said all were members of the same family.
Kabul is roughly 290 kilometres (180 miles) southwest of the epicentre. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from areas closer to the epicentre. The area is remote, and it can often take several hours before local authorities can relay information back to Kabul.
With the epicentre at a depth of over 180 kilometers, the quake jolted a wide swath of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan, it was felt in the cities and towns of Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat and Shangla, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in Pakistan.
Afghanistan's Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said Kabul and provincial health authorities had been put on alert.
Last August, a 6.0 earthquake that struck a remote, mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people, levelling villages and trapping people under rubble. Most casualties were in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.
In November, a 6.3 earthquake struck Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, killing at last 27 people and injuring more than 950. It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan's famed Blue Mosque in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.
On Oct 7, 2023, a 6.3 quake followed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan killed thousands of people.
Impoverished Afghanistan often faces difficulty in responding to natural disasters, especially in remote regions. Many homes in rural and outlying areas are made from mud bricks and wood, with many poorly built.
M5.9 earthquake strikes Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region in Badakhshan. Widely reported at 08:42 pm, depth 171 km. No immediate casualty or damage reports from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India or nearby areas. #sismo pic.twitter.com/Lhddad9Uwr
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Karnataka: Ex-Lokayukta Santosh Hegde collapses at event, hospitalised; condition stable
Bengaluru (PTI): Former Karnataka Lokayukta justice N Santosh Hegde collapsed during a public event in the city on Friday and was admitted to a private hospital.
The 85-year-old former Supreme Court judge fell ill at a felicitation programme for former minister P G R Sindhia, organised by the Bharat Scouts and Guides at Kondajji Basappa Auditorium.
“While delivering his speech, he appeared fatigued. After speaking for a while, he sat down, felt dizzy, vomited, and collapsed. Those present gave him water, but there was no improvement,” said Dr Ramesh Babu, who provided initial treatment at the venue.
Hegde was later rushed to a private hospital in the official vehicle of Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader.
Khader said, “He was given first aid and taken to the hospital in my vehicle.”
Doctors said Hegde, who is diabetic, may have suffered a sudden drop in blood sugar levels.
He is undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital and is recovering.
In a bulletin, the hospital said, “Justice N Santosh Hegde is under medical supervision in the emergency room at Manipal Hospital, Millers Road, and is doing fine. He is likely to be discharged shortly.”
