The whole of Punjab, populated by over 115 million people, was rocked by the unprecedented powerful earthquake with the magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter Scale by more than two minutes sustained tremours at 2.09pm on Monday. Millions of frightened people of the province came out of their homes and work places as the second jolt was very severe. Some government buildings cracked in Lahore during the tremours as the employees scrambled and came to streets.
However till the filing of this report, there was no report of major loss of life and property in Punjab as the epicentre of the seismic wave was in the Hindu Kush mountain range at a depth of 130 miles (210km). According to reports coming from various parts of the Punjab, the terrifying earthquake shook the cities of Ahmadpur East, Arifwala, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Burewala, Chiniot, Chishtian Mandi, Daska, Dera Ghaz Khan, Faisalabad, Gojra, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Hasilpur, Haveli lakha, Jaranwala, Jhang Sadar, Jhelum, Kamoke, Kasur, Khanewal, Khanpur, Khushab, Lahore, Mianwali, Multan, Muridike, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Pirmahal, Rahimyar Khan, Rawalpindi, Sadiqabad, Safdar Abad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhüpura, Sialkot, Toba Tek singh, Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Bhalwal, Sargodha and rural areas of the Punjab reported on Monday,
Soon after the earthquake, the Chief Minister directed all departments and institutions concerned to immediately start relief activities in the affected areas. He ordered PDMA, Rescue-1122 and other institutions to remain alert and in touch with the administration.
He directed that rescue activities should immediately be started in affected areas without waiting for any order and rescue teams should immediately reach the affected places.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that best treatment facilities should be provided to the persons injured due to earthquake in some areas of the province. He directed to accelerate relief activities in earthquake-hit areas and all possible relief should be provided to the affected people. No effort should be spared in providing best treatment to the injured.