Cricketers evacuated in Chandigarh after earthquake
An earthquake in Afghanistan forced the newly formed Indian Premier League (IPL) team the Gujarat Lions to evacuate their hotel in Chandigarh on the eve of their tournament opener against the Kings XI Punjab.
Moments after the earthquake hit, the players of the Gujarat-based franchise and the support staff were evacuated from the building to a safe location outside by the team management.
The National Centre for Seismology in India has reported that the epicentre of the earthquake was in the Hindukush mountain range which is on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The earthquake was measured at 6.8 on the Richter scale and it hit at 3.58 pm local time.
Immediately after the players were escorted outside the hotel, Australian pacer Andrew Tye told Cricket Australia, "I was sitting on the end of my bed fixing a cricket bat and it felt like the bed started to move,"
The Australian expressed his shock and said, "I was like 'what happened there' and I looked around the room and certain things were shaking, so I thought 'it must be an earthquake.”
Other cricketers also shared their experience on Twitter.
Australian batsman Aaron Finch Tweeted.
Just a quick earthquake evacuation in Mohali!!
— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) April 10, 2016
South African pacer Dale Steyn Tweeted.
Just felt the tremors of a earthquake in mohali
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) April 10, 2016
Evacuated out the hotel, boys are a little "shaken"