Quake rumours trigger panic in twin cities

A fresh spate of rumours that another strong earthquake is going to jolt the country on Thursday, forced thousands of people rush out of homes and workplaces in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and elsewhere.
People were seen coming out of the government and private offices and students were rushing for some space under the sky. So much so, the entire Secretariat, yards away from the Parliament House and the Prime Minister Secretariat, was vacated within minutes. Likewise, housewives, busy in kitchens, came out, reciting verses from the Holy Quran.
Panicky men, women and children were seen at open spaces, playgrounds and roads in the twin-cities before and afternoon. Already those living in the government flats and multi-storey apartments hardly can sleep at night.
Business Recorder Islamabad offices also received some calls, people asking about the credibility of the 'information' that a quake would trigger devastation at 12:30 pm.
When approached, a senior official at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Mohmmad Saeed, told Business Recorder that no device in any part of the world could predict about the possibility of an earthquake.
He explained that there was no possibility of an earthquake, hitting the country again, as the aftershocks, still continuing, were releasing pressure beneath the earth.
"Had the prediction about the earthquake could be made, colossal losses in the Saturday's quake could have been averted," he maintained.
A similar phenomenon was seen in parts of NWFP, including Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat and other areas, few months back. A rumour about an earthquake, had triggered panic. It was hard to ascertain who first broke this 'news' about the possible tremor, however, poor souls spent the night away from home under the sky.
Such gory practice at a time when the entire nation is still in the grip of grief and shock, seems to be a sheer non-sense. It is an unsolved puzzle who is behind the spread of such rumours.
Apparently, a mentally sick person can resort to such a condemnable activity to traumatise people around him, of course, with no material gains whatsoever.
It is sixth day after the quake played havoc in Kashmir, NWFP and Islamabad, but still the talk of the town is the devastation it caused and mental agony and concern it spread.
Moreover, they see in every aftershock, which continue to shake the earth, a big jolt that could bring building structures to ground in no time.