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South Asia Quake Death Toll Over 79,000 | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, AP – New figures released by regional officials on Wednesday pushed the death toll in South Asia”s earthquake to more than 79,000.

Asif Iqbal Daudzai, information minister for Pakistan”s North West Frontier Province, said that 37,958 people died in the province and 23,172 were injured, many of them in Mansehra district. He said the figures were based on reports from local government and hospital officials.

In addition, 40,000 people died in Pakistani-held Kashmir, which is not part of the North West Frontier Province. India has reported 1,360 deaths in the part of Kashmir that it controls.

Daudzai said most of the deaths in the North West Frontier were in Mansehra; 32,653 died there, he said.

Pakistan”s central government has said at least 42,000 people died in North West Frontier Province and Pakistani-held Kashmir, and that the toll was rising. Central government figures have lagged behind those of provincial officials.