MUZAFFARABAD – Pakistani nation is remembering one of the darkest days in its history, the deadly October 8, 2005 earthquake that claimed tens of thousands of lives and left a trail of unimaginable destruction across northern Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
As the country observes 20th anniversary of the tragedy, solemn ceremonies and awareness events are being held nationwide to honor the victims and reinforce the importance of disaster preparedness. Wednesday day has been declared a public holiday across Kashmir, marking it as the National Disaster Awareness Day.
From Muzaffarabad to Balakot, the echoes of that terrifying morning still haunt survivors. On this day in 2005, at exactly 8:52 am, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake ripped through the region, toppling homes, schools, hospitals, and entire villages within seconds.
The powerful tremor left over 80,000 dead, more than 100,000 injured, and hundreds of thousands displaced, as landslides swallowed communities and communication lines collapsed.
Special walks, seminars, and memorial gatherings are being organized across the region. Politicians, social workers, journalists, lawyers, and citizens from all walks of life are participating to remember those lost — and to remind the nation that nature’s fury can strike without warning.
Muzaffarabad bore the heaviest toll, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the casualties, while Bagh district suffered around 15 percent. Even two decades later, scars of the tragedy remain visible, not just in the rebuilt towns, but in the hearts of those who lived through it.
2005 earthquake stands as one of the deadliest disasters in Pakistan’s history, a grim reminder of both the fragility of life and the enduring spirit of resilience that continues to define the nation.
