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Updated: Sep 24, 2019 21:27 IST

The toll from a shallow earthquake that rattled eastern Pakistan has risen to at least 19 dead and more than 300 wounded, reported AFP.

“At least 19 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded,” said Sardar Gulfaraz, deputy inspector general of police in Mirpur -- a city in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir near the epicentre of the quake -- in televised comments.

The quake struck 23 km north of Jhelum, Pakistan, at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported. Jhelum is located in northeastern Pakistan, around 120 km southeast of the capital Islamabad.

The tremors were felt across Pakistan and parts of northern India. Panic-stricken people rushed out of their homes and offices in Delhi and other north Indian cities.

In Islamabad, the tremors shook buildings and people could be seen rushing out to the streets.“It lasted for 8-10 seconds but it was very scary,” an Islamabad resident told a Pakistani news channel.

Pakistan’s chief meteorologist Muhammad Riaz told AFP that the earthquake was 10 kilometres deep and was felt in most of Punjab province, some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The worst hit was Mirpur,” he said.

TV channels showed the footage of heavily damaged roads in Mirpur, with many vehicles overturned.

Authorities in Pakistan are still trying to find out the damage caused by the quake. Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted that army troops with aviation and medical support teams were dispatched.

People took to social media to share their experience.

Absolutely terrifying visuals from road b/w Dina Jhelum and Mirpur after Earthquake

Epicenter was 5 km North to Jhelum #Pakistan #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/TpdVzjup18 — Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) September 24, 2019

Good Lord.

Apparently the earthquake is responsible for this. pic.twitter.com/i9fe8xU7Uf — TheMystic (@MysticIntel) September 24, 2019

Earthquake in mirpur 💔 praying for all my families back home 😭🙏🏼 #mirpur pic.twitter.com/y98VCCuUwy — Highlights (@humera_k_) September 24, 2019

The US Geological Survey puts the 5.8 magnitude earthquake's epicentre 1 km SE of New Mirpur - which means it's in the town - the depth was just 10 kms pic.twitter.com/EOanZqyA8s — omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) September 24, 2019

Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted that army troops with aviation and medical support teams had been dispatched to the affected areas.

“Our whole concentration right now is to accelerate the rescue operation,” Raja Farooq Haider, prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region, told GNN TV. “There are people who are stuck there and who need immediate help. We are putting in all our resources to get people the best of our help.”