ISLAMABAD: A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck southwestern Pakistan on Friday, shaking parts of Balochistan and parts of southern Sindh, officials said, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The tremor hit at around 11:30 am local time (0630 GMT), with the epicentre located about 86 kilometres (54 miles) from the town of Usta Muhammad, according to initial seismic readings.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake hit about 79 kilometres (49 miles) from Khuzdar at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Residents in several districts of Balochistan, as well as parts of southern Sindh, said they felt the tremors, with some people briefly evacuating homes and offices as a precaution.
Authorities said they were monitoring the situation and had not received any immediate reports of loss of life or property damage.
Pakistan sits on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates and is frequently hit by earthquakes, particularly in its western and northern regions.
