According to the Meteorological Department, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the region at 11:55 a.m. and its epicenter was near Ornji.
The quake was felt for half a minute, forcing people to flee their homes in the open, officials said, adding that aftershocks continued to occur in the area at short intervals.
Khuzdar Deputy Commissioner Major (retd) Elias Kabzai told Dawn that a large area of Ornaji was affected by the quake, which destroyed more than 80 houses and cracked 260 others, adding that most of those destroyed. The houses were built of mud.
The quake also damaged Nali, Zmarai, Barang and Nachkan Sonaro Lathi villages of Wadh tehsil.
Elias Kabzai said that fortunately no casualties were reported as most of the people were busy with their normal activities outside their homes while those who were indoors rushed out of their homes as soon as the tremors started.
He said more than 200 families had been displaced as their homes were destroyed, and that relief supplies, including tents, sheets, food and drinking water, had been sent to those affected by the quake.
However, he pointed out that rescue and relief teams are having difficulty reaching the affected villages as they are located in mountainous areas.
“We have dispatched healthcare teams with medicines and efforts are underway to provide emergency shelter to the affected families,” the deputy commissioner said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qaddos Bizenjo, while expressing grave concern over the financial loss caused to the locals by the earthquake, directed the local administration and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to immediately launch an effective relief operation in the quake affected areas.
The Chief Minister said that the government stood by the victims in this difficult time and issued instructions for immediate provision of tents, blankets and other necessities to the residents of the affected houses.