Three killed as mild earthquake hits Pakistan's Balochistan province

A mild 3.5 magnitude quake hit Pakistan's Balochistan province, killing three people and injuring five others when their mud-walled houses collapsed, authorities have said. The epicentre of the earthquake that hit the province on Friday was 60 km northwest of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.

The three children were killed in Chaman, a town bordering Iran, when their mud-walled house collapsed after the earthquake. They were aged between 12 and 8 years and included two girls,"  according to the spokesperson for the Balochistan Chief Minister. Two mud-walled houses collapsed after the earthquake. Rescue operations were continuing to see if they were any other casualties, injuries or damages, the spokesperson said.

Until now five people have also been taken to hospital for treatment after being injured, the spokesperson added.  Earthquakes are common in Pakistan. Nine persons were killed and 150 others sustained injuries after a powerful 6.8 earthquake jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 21. The deadliest quake to hit Pakistan in 2005 killed more than 74,000 people.