Deadly Cyclone and Quake Hit Pakistan, India Prompting Prayers
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Local Christians asked for prayers as coastal areas in India and Pakistan prepare for the arrival of Cyclone Biparjoy after an earthquake struck the region.
Tens of thousands of people were evacuated in anticipation of the cyclone’s landfall, which was expected to occur near Jakhau Port in Gujarat, India.
Authorities said there have already been five deaths related to the cyclone, including drownings and accidents caused by severe weather conditions.
The coastal regions of India and Pakistan were on high alert Wednesday, with tens of thousands of people being evacuated a day ahead of a cyclone’s expected landfall.
It came hours after the eastern India-controlled Kashmir region in Tuesday shook by a powerful earthquake sending tremors throughout New Delhi and parts of northern India.
The quake was also felt in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan, witnesses said.
ENORMOUS SEA STORM
Minority Christians, who have complained of persecution in several parts of Hindu-majority India and Muslim-ruled Pakistan, face significant challenges.
“Please pray for Pakistan; we had a great earthquake,” said Augustine Saleem, a young Christian aid worker, and evangelist, in remarks to Worthy News.
“Additionally, we are also getting this enormous sea storm, the cyclone, impacting [the Pakistani city of ] Karachi,” he added.
The quake had a 5.4 magnitude, and its epicenter was in Doda, a small town in India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, said India’s National Center for Seismology.
The quake was at a depth of about 3.7 miles (5.9 kilometers).
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