Moderate Earthquake
Mild earthquake tremors were felt in several regions across Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan early Wednesday morning, triggering momentary panic among residents though no casualties or significant damage were reported.
According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake registered a magnitude of 5.3 on the Richter scale.
The tremors were felt across various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), including Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Abbottabad, Mardan, Mohmand, Swabi, and Lower Dir. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, shaking was reported in the Samahni area and its surroundings. Punjab’s Zafarwal region also experienced tremors.
Meanwhile, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) confirmed that a separate earthquake had struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. Initially estimated at a magnitude of 6.4, the figure was later revised to 5.6.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 121 kilometres, with the epicentre located approximately 164 kilometres east of Baghlan, a city housing around 108,000 residents.
Though the tremors caused widespread concern among citizens, authorities have confirmed that no loss of life or infrastructural damage has been reported so far. Emergency services remain vigilant as aftershocks may follow.
This seismic activity comes just days after another moderate earthquake jolted multiple cities in northern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
That quake, recorded on April 12, struck at 12:31 PM with a magnitude of 5.5 and a shallow depth of 12 kilometres. Its epicentre was located 60 kilometres northwest of Rawalpindi, at coordinates 33.90 N and 72.66 E.
Tremors from that quake were felt in Punjab’s Attock and Chakwal, and KP’s Peshawar, Nowshera, Lakki Marwat, Shabqadar, and several other areas.
Pakistan frequently experiences seismic activity due to its position along the active boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
As the Indian plate continues its northward push into the Eurasian plate, the resulting pressure makes the region prone to earthquakes.
