Hi All.

From the USGS web site.

Earthquakes and active faults in northern Pakistan and adjacent parts of India and Afghanistan are the direct result of the Indian subcontinent moving northward at a rate of about 40 mm/yr (1.6 inches/yr) and colliding with the Eurasian continent. This collision is causing uplift that produces the highest mountain peaks in the world including the Himalayan, the Karakoram, the Pamir and the Hindu Kush ranges. As the Indian plate moves northward, it is being subducted or pushed beneath the Eurasian plate. Much of the compressional motion between these two colliding plates has been and continues to be accommodated by slip on a suite of major thrust faults that are at the Earth’s surface in the foothills of the mountains and dip northward beneath the ranges. These include the Main Frontal thrust, the Main Central thrust, the Main boundary thrust, and the Main Mantle thrust. These thrust faults have a sinuous trace as they arc across the foothills in northern India and into northern Pakistan. In detail, the modern active faults are actually a system of faults comprised of a number of individual fault traces. In the rugged mountainous terrain, it is difficult to identify and map all of the individual thrust faults, but the overall tectonic style of the modern deformation is clear in the area of the earthquake; north- and northeast-directed compression is producing thrust faulting. Near the town of Muzaffarabad, about 10 km southwest of the earthquake epicenter, active thrust faults that strike northwest-southeast have deformed and warped Pleistocene alluvial-fan surfaces into anticlinal ridges. The strike and dip direction of these thrust faults is compatible with the style of faulting indicated by the focal mechanism from the nearby M 7.6 earthquake.

From International: The News

It was the worst ever earthquake in the region during the century, said Chief Meteorologist, Shaukat Ali Awan while talking to The News. He said it measured 7.6 on the Richter scale and a total of four jolts of a total duration of 11 minutes were recorded with intervals at Patan situated west of Muzaffarabab, south of Gilgit, north of Afghanistan and East of Hazara division.

The first jolt of six-minute duration was felt at 08:53 hours, second with a duration of 2.30 minutes was recorded at 09:07 hours, third jolt of one minute duration was felt at 09:30 hours while last jolt of 1.30 minutes duration was recorded at 09:40 hours.

From other sources:

The quake occurred very close to the surface, which may account for the damage. Past quakes in the region have been more then 200Km in depth.

The death toll mounted today as more victims were discovered in rubble in Pakistan. The Pakistan government believes up to 40,000 may have perished in the weekend earthquake. Frustration mounted as government aid was slow in arriving and looting was taking place in the devastated regions according to press accounts.

Roads were blocked by landslides and power and water supplies were down. Hospitals and schools were destroyed. Pakistani officials said that in addition to the up to 40,000 dead, at least 60,000 others were injured and another 2000 killed in neighboring India. The fate of an additional 10,000 in mountain villages is unknown.

Looters hit military supply centers as well as stores. Petroleum was being looted to keep survivors warm in the increasing cold weather. The U.N. estimated up to 1 million were hit hard by the quake and up to 4 million were adversely affected.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/oct2005-daily/09-10-2005/main/main5.htm

• The News