Pakistan team evacuated out of hotel after New Zealand earthquake

Pakistan cricket team, who are currently in New Zealand for a two-match Test series, has been escorted off their hotel in Nelson after an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck Christchurch and adjoining areas on Sunday. Players of Pakistan women team were also panicked due to the incident.

According to reports, the squad was escorted out of their hotel and no casualties have been reported so far. There are reports of aftershocks in the area and Pakistani players will be waiting in a designated safe zone until it is safe to go back inside their hotel.

“We are currently at Nelson and were scheduled to leave for Christchurch today morning but couldn’t depart due to the earthquake,” Waseem Bari, Manager Pakistan Cricket Team said while speaking to the Express News. The manager went on to say that the Pakistan Embassy contacted the team members and offered support.

Members of the Pakistani Women Team, who are also in New Zealand for a five-match ODI series, were also safe; Bari quoted the Pakistani embassy officials as saying.

“We were at the 7th floor of the hotel, as soon tremors were felt we took the emergency staircase to evacuate from the hotel,” said one team member who wished not to be named.

“We all are safe and currently having a walk, and we are still feeling the aftershocks,” said the player while speaking to Geo News 20 minutes after the earthquake.

“It was horrible, the building was shaking badly,” said a player of women team on condition of anonymity. We were on 13th floor, and were evacuated after the tremors, we are still observing some aftershocks,” she said.

Pakistan’s men Cricket team was scheduled to fly to Christchurch from Nelson on Monday, but following the earthquake team’s travel plan looks uncertain at the moment.

Meanwhile, Basit Ali of head coach of Pakistan women Cricket team told Geo News that some players were scared after the tremors.

“It was so horrible and players were scared, we immediately moved out of hotel players were without slippers even. Thanks to Allah that we all are out safely,” Basit Ali told GeoNews.⁠⁠

The Misbah ul Haq-led side is scheduled to play their first Test in Christchurch on November 17.

Christchurch is the biggest city on New Zealand’s South Island. A 6.3 quake there in February 2011 killed 185 people and caused widespread damage. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat from Monday’s quake.