Powerful Earthquake Strikes Pakistan

WASHINGTON — A major 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked a remote area of southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, shaking many parts of the country and causing widespread panic, said meteorologists.

The quake was centered in Baluchistan province, the country's most sparsely populated area, said the United States Geological Service. It occured at a depth of some 50 miles (84 kilometers), it said.

Its exact epicenter was in a remote area some 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, said chief Pakistani meteorologist Arif Mahmood.

Local TV reports said the quake was felt throughout several provinces. Many residents in the country's largest city, Karachi, ran out into the streets once the quake started, said the reports.

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