Earthquake
Several regions across Pakistan experienced strong tremors early on Wednesday morning as a powerful earthquake shook various parts of the country.
The seismic activity prompted concern among residents, many of whom took to social media to share their experiences. The tremors were reported in multiple cities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Punjab.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, cities such as Peshawar, Landikotal, Mansehra, Nowshera, Upper Dir, Swat, and Malakand felt the jolts. In Punjab, areas including Attock, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujrat, and Sialkot were also affected. The shaking was intense enough in many places to cause residents to evacuate buildings and seek open spaces for safety.
According to the National Seismological Centre in Islamabad, the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush mountain region in Afghanistan, with a recorded depth of approximately 89 kilometres.
The earthquake was not limited to Pakistan alone; tremors were also reported in neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also issued its own findings, estimating the quake’s magnitude at 5.6. According to the USGS, the epicentre was about 69 kilometres from Parun, a town in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, with a similar depth to what was reported by Pakistani authorities.
This recent quake follows a series of tremors that occurred just days earlier, on April 12, when Pakistan was struck by two earthquakes within the span of an hour.
The first of those quakes, measured at 4.3 magnitude, occurred at 11:54 a.m. Its epicentre was near the tri-border area of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, with a depth of 88 kilometres. It mainly affected areas in Swat and its surroundings.
The second quake on April 12 struck at 12:30 p.m., registering a stronger magnitude of 5.5. This earthquake had a shallower depth of just 12 kilometres and was located 60 kilometres from Rawalpindi.
The tremors from this event were widely felt across Islamabad, Gujar Khan, Haripur, Abbottabad, Attock, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Jhang, Taxila, Wah Cantt, and nearby regions.
Although no casualties or major damage were reported in either event, the frequency of these earthquakes has raised public concern, especially in regions prone to seismic activity.
Pakistan lies in a tectonically active zone where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet, making it vulnerable to such natural events. Authorities continue to monitor seismic activity closely and urge citizens to stay informed and prepared for potential aftershocks.
