Pakistan cricket teams evacuated from hotel following powerful NZ earthquake

KARACHI: Players of Pakistan's men and women cricket teams were evacuated from their hotel rooms in Nelson and Christchurch respectively after an earthquake measuring 7.4 jolted various cities of New Zealand on Sunday.

Pakistan's men cricket team was preparing to sleep when powerful tremors forced them to move out of hotel rooms in Nelson.

"We were at the 7th floor of hotel, as soon tremors were felt we took emergency staircase to evacuate from 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.

Players of Pakistan women team were equally panicked due to the earthquake and were evacuated from the rooms in Christchurch.

Pakistan cricket team captain Sana Mir tweeted recently about the safety of the female players in New Zealand. 

All team members and staff is safe. Thanks for all your prayers and concern. #earthquakeNZ

— Sana Mir (@mir_sana05) November 13, 2016

"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 for 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," Basit Ali told Geo.

"Thanks to Allah that we all are out safely," he added.⁠⁠⁠⁠

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck central New Zealand just after midnight (1102 GMT Sunday), the US Geological Survey said, generating a tsunami that hit the northeast coast of the South Island.

New Zealand's Civil Defence warned residents along the country's entire east coast to seek higher ground.