ISLAMABAD: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck the Hindu Kush range in Afghanistan late on Sunday, sending tremors across Pakistan and northern India, seismological agencies said.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre located about 28 kilometres northwest of Basawul in southeastern Afghanistan.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) also confirmed the magnitude and depth, noting the tremor struck at 11:47pm local time.
In Pakistan, the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) of the Meteorological Department reported the quake at 12:18am local time, placing its epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountains.
It said the shocks were recorded 15 kilometres below the surface. Strong tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mardan, Murree, and as far east as Lahore, prompting residents to rush out of homes and offices in panic.
Local media reported that tremors were also felt in Haripur, Abbottabad, Nowshera, Charsadda, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, and several towns in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
In India, residents of Delhi-NCR shared accounts of the tremors on social media, posting videos of shaking furniture and ceiling fans.
Authorities in Pakistan said no casualties or major damage had been reported as of early Monday.
“Monitoring is ongoing and citizens are advised to remain cautious in case of aftershocks,” the NSMC stated.
Rescue teams were placed on alert, while residents were urged to avoid unsafe buildings.
Windows rattled and furniture shook across several cities, but the panic subsided after the tremors passed. Eyewitnesses in Islamabad described people reciting prayers as they rushed into the streets.
The Hindu Kush region, straddling the borders of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, is one of the most seismically active areas in Asia.
It lies on the fault lines between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which regularly produce powerful quakes.
Last month, Afghanistan experienced multiple earthquakes, including a 5.5-magnitude tremor on 2 August and a 4.2-magnitude quake on 6 August.
Seismologists warn that shallow earthquakes, such as Sunday’s, tend to cause stronger ground shaking and can pose a higher risk to vulnerable populations.
