Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif and offered India's help soon after an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale with its epicentre in Afghanistan on Monday shook large parts of north India, sparking panic in the region and damaging property in Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Modi said India was ready to help Kabul and Islamabad.
"Heard about strong earthquake in Afghanistan-Pakistan region whose tremors have been felt in parts of India. I pray for everyone's safety," he tweeted. "We stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan and Pakistan."
Modi followed it up with telephonic conversations with President Ghani, who briefed him about the deaths and destruction in Afghanistan. Modi also spoke to Sharif and offered "all possible assistance" to Pakistan.
The worst hit were Afghanistan and Pakistan. At least 22 people were killed in Afghanistan and some 130 injured. The more populous districts of Pakistan suffered more, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds injured. Afghanistan soon felt a major aftershock -- measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale.
At least 200 people were admitted to a hospital in Swat and another 100 in a Peshawar hospital, officials said. Dunya News said a part of Bala Hissar fort in Peshawar had been damaged.
Pakistan directed its army to carry out immediate rescue work in affected areas without waiting for formal orders. Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa said army teams had been sent out for a quick assessment of earthquake damages across the country. All command military hospitals were placed on high alert.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked people not to panic and said disaster management teams had been activated.
