ISLAMABAD: Parts of northern Pakistan were jolted by a moderate earthquake in the early hours of Saturday, around 2:04 AM, with tremors felt across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and multiple districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). No casualties or damage were reported.
According to seismic monitoring centres, the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4 and originated in the Hindu Kush region of northeastern Afghanistan, at a depth of approximately 102 to 114 kilometers.
Tremors were strongly felt in Peshawar, Swat, Malakand, Dir, Mardan, Haripur, Abbottabad, and surrounding areas, prompting residents to evacuate buildings in panic. The tremors were also experienced in parts of Punjab, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, and Kasur.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in KP confirmed the seismic event and said its Emergency Operations Centre is actively monitoring the situation. All district administrations have been alerted and remain in contact. So far, no reports of injuries or property loss have been received.
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PDMA has advised citizens to stay calm and contact their emergency helpline 1700 in case of any untoward incident.
Pakistan is located in a seismically active region, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Experts say the Hindu Kush region is a known epicenter for frequent moderate to strong earthquakes due to deep fault lines.
Seismic activity in Pakistan has shown an upward trend in recent months. From May to June, over 57 mild tremors were recorded in Karachi alone. Similar activity has also been reported across Punjab, Balochistan, and KP.
