ISLAMABAD: A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday night, sending tremors across several cities, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
In a statement, Pakistan’s weather department said the quake was recorded at 9:56 p.m. local time at a depth of 111 kilometres, with its epicentre located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan.
Strong tremors were felt in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, the garrison city of Rawalpindi, and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Malakand, Bajaur, and Hangu.
Residents in parts of Punjab, including Mianwali and Attock, also reported jolts.
An earthquake originated on 04-09-2025 at 21:56 PST
Mag: 5.9
Depth: 111 Km
Lat: 35.12°N Long: 70.71 °E… pic.twitter.com/pZHz6gj8EZ— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) September 4, 2025
Pakistan’s state broadcaster PTV News posted on X that the tremors “lasted for several seconds” and caused citizens to come out of their homes.
وفاقی دارالحکومت اسلام آباد اور گرد و نواح میں زلزلے کے شدید جھٹکے
زلزلہ کئی سیکنڈ تک جاری رہا، شہری گھروں سے باہر نکل آئے
زلزلے کے دوران لوگ کلمہ طیبہ اور استغفار کا ورد کرتے رہے#earthquake
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) September 4, 2025
Authorities confirmed there were no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage.
However, the tremors sparked panic, with people rushing out of homes and offices into open spaces. Emergency services have been placed on alert, officials said.
The quake comes just days after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a 6.0-magnitude tremor struck late Sunday night near Jalalabad, close to the Pakistani border, devastating mountainous provinces and leaving widespread destruction.
On Thursday, Taliban officials said the death toll from that earthquake had risen to at least 2,205, with 3,640 people injured.
Hamdullah Fitrat, a spokesperson for the Taliban administration, said in a statement that rescue operations were continuing in Kunar and neighbouring provinces but were being hampered by blocked roads and aftershocks.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said around 12,000 people had been directly affected, while the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) called for urgent international support.
“Humanitarian assistance is desperately needed immediately to help the people of Afghanistan and avoid further tragedy,” UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan lie in a seismically active zone where earthquakes are frequent and often deadly.
In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people, followed by a 6.3-magnitude quake in October 2023 that caused similar devastation.
