Key points
- Epicentre in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush
- Residents flee buildings in panic
- Concerns over aftershocks in mountains
ISLAMABAD: A powerful earthquake struck parts of Pakistan on Friday morning, triggering panic across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Swat, and several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to seismologists, the quake registered a magnitude of 5.5, with its epicentre located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. The Pakistan Meteorological Department confirmed that the tremor occurred at a depth of 195 kilometres.
The shockwaves were strongly felt in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as in the northern and western areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Fleeing homes in fear
Significant tremors were reported across numerous districts, including Peshawar, Swat, Charsadda, and Buner, prompting residents to flee their homes in fear. Noticeable shaking was also felt in Lower Dir and Mardan, while Landikotal in the Khyber district experienced aftershocks in the surrounding regions.
In Swat, Chitral, and nearby mountainous areas, residents expressed concern over potential aftershocks, given the quake’s depth and its origin in the seismically active Hindu Kush zone.
