Imran visits earthquake affected areas

Islamabad, Sep 30 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday visited Mirpur to express solidarity with the victims of the September 24 earthquake that hit the lakeside city and its adjoining areas.

During a meeting with Raja Farooq Haider, the Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir where Mirpur is located, Khan was briefed on the losses as well as rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures, reports Dawn news.

He also visited the Divisional Headquarters Hospital to inquire after the health of some of the survivors being treated there.

The number of the people with serious and minor injuries was 172 and 680, respectively, in Mirpur district, said Chaudhry Mohammad Tayyab, the Divisional Commissioner of Mirpur.

Mirpur district suffered the most damage from the 5.6-magnitude earthquake, that rocked parts of Punjab as well as some of the country's northern areas. The tremors were also felt in North India.

The toll has increased to 40, Tayyab said, adding that 38 of them were from Mirpur.

On September 27, Prime Minister Khan had announced compensation of 500,000 Pakistani rupees for each person killed in the quake.

Tayyab said the cheques for the amount would be distributed among dependants of the deceased on Monday.

However, no announcement has yet been made about compensation to the injured or for those who had suffered property losses.

Tayyab said that according to preliminary reports, some 454 concrete houses were destroyed, 140 school buildings and 200 vehicles damaged, with around 500 cattle killed in the quake.