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ABBOTTABAD, Oct 08 (APP):A solemn prayer ceremony was held at the mass graves located within the premises of Mansehra High School, Balakot, to mark the 20th anniversary of the devastating October 8, 2005, earthquake, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Pakistan’s history.
Teachers and students of the school, local traders, and officials of the district administration attended the ceremony. Participants offered prayers for the souls of thousands who lost their lives in the earthquake and for the peace, prosperity, and security of the country.
The 2005 earthquake struck northern Pakistan on the morning of October 8 at 8:50 a.m. with a magnitude of 7.6. Its epicenter was near Muzaffarabad in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and tremors were felt across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Punjab, and as far as northern India and Afghanistan. The quake caused widespread destruction in Mansehra, Balakot, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Rawalakot, leveling entire towns and villages within seconds. Landslides blocked roads, isolating thousands of survivors in remote mountainous regions.
According to official figures, more than 73,000 people were killed in Pakistan, while some independent estimates put the death toll at over 87,000. Nearly 70,000 were injured and around three million were rendered homeless. The towns of Balakot and Bagh were among the worst affected, with large portions reduced to rubble as schools, hospitals, and homes collapsed under the tremors.
In the immediate aftermath, the Pakistan Army, local communities, and humanitarian organizations launched extensive rescue and relief operations. Helicopters were used to reach cut-off valleys, while tents, food, and medical supplies were distributed among survivors. International aid arrived swiftly, with the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and various global agencies providing urgent assistance. At a donors’ conference in Islamabad in November 2005, pledges of more than six billion dollars were made for relief and rehabilitation.
To coordinate reconstruction, the government established the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), tasked with rebuilding homes, schools, and hospitals under the principle of “build back better.” Over 400,000 houses and thousands of public facilities were reconstructed, though progress in some regions was delayed by difficult terrain and administrative challenges. Rehabilitation programs were also initiated for the injured and disabled, alongside psychological support for families affected by the disaster.
At the ceremony in Balakot, speakers paid tribute to the victims and emphasized the need to strengthen disaster preparedness and ensure earthquake-resistant construction in vulnerable areas. Floral wreaths were laid at the graves, and participants prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and the safety and prosperity of Pakistan.