An earthquake occurred on 31 May 1935 between 2:30 am and 3:40 am at Quetta, Baluchistan Agency (now part of Pakistan), close to the border with southern Afghanistan.

[5] Movement on the Ghazaband Fault[6] resulted in an earthquake early in the morning on 31 May 1935 estimated anywhere between the hours of 2:33 am[3] and 3:40 am[7] which lasted for three minutes with continuous aftershocks.

The earthquake caused destruction in almost all the towns close to Quetta, including the city itself, and tremors were felt as far as Agra, now in India.

Initial communiqué drafts issued by the government estimated a total of 25,000 people buried under the rubble, 10,000 survivors and 4,000 injured.

A quarter of the Cantonment area was destroyed, with military equipment and the Royal Air Force garrison suffering serious damage.

Hardly had we commenced our work than we were called upon to supply a party of fifty men, which were later increased to a hundred, to dig graves in the cemetery.

[citation needed] While the soldiers excavated through the debris for a sign of life, the Government sent the Quetta administration instructions to build a tent city to house the homeless survivors and to provide shelter for their rescuers.

[citation needed] Indian space scientist and educationist Yash Pal, then eight-years-old, was trapped under the building remains, together with his siblings, and was rescued.