5.7-magnitude earthquake hits southern Pakistan, 20 killed, injured treated in torchlight as electricity failed

Officials in Pakistan said at least 20 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after an earthquake struck the southern province of Balochistan on Thursday.

According to the US Geological Survey the quake had a magnitude of 5.7.

Disaster management officials in Balochistan said the earthquake struck in the early hours of Thursday morning while people slept.

Speaking to news agency AFP, the head of provincial disaster management, Naseer Nasar, said: "15 to 20 people have been killed so far. The death toll may increase."

Emergency teams launch search and rescue operations

Officials believe a number of people may be trapped under rubble, after houses collapsed when the quake struck.

Senior government official Suhail Anwar Hashmi said that a woman and six children were among the dead.

Personnel from military and civilian agencies have been called upon as part of the emergency response effort and have headed to Harnai, which is one of the worst hit districts, near the provincial capital Quetta.

Residents were also assisting by rushing injured people to hospitals in their private capacity.

A senior government official said that helicopters were being sent to the area to help rescue operations.

Rugged terrain makes it particularly challenging for search and rescue teams to operate, and hinders relief efforts.

Lack of power hampers hospital staff

The quake knocked out power in the region and forced local government hospital staff to work by torchlight.

Speaking to AFP, a hospital official said: "Most of the injured came with fractured limbs. Dozens of people were sent back after first aid while some 40 people who were critically injured have been sent to Quetta in ambulances."

Balochistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It is the largest in terms of land area, forming the southwestern region of the country, but is the least populated.

Seismic activity frequent in the region

Pakistan is situated on an area which overlaps the meeting point of two tectonic plates, explaining the frequency at which earthquakes occur.

In 2015 both Pakistan and Afghanistan were rocked by a 7.5 magnitude quake which killed nearly 400 people.

And in 2005 a massive 7.6 magnitude quake struck the Pakistan-administered portion of Kashmir, killing more than 73,000 people and leaving millions homeless.