ISLAMABAD: A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 jolted several parts of Pakistan on Saturday evening, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the earthquake occurred at 6:35 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time. It had a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of 178 kilometres. The epicentre was located in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at latitude 36.54 degrees north and longitude 70.63 degrees east.
The PMD said the tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mansehra, Shangla, Swat and Chakwal. Reports from local authorities and media said the shaking was felt across a much wider area, including several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said that the earthquake originated at a depth of 178 kilometres, with its epicentre located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan.
Tremors were also reported in parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Chakwal, Swat, Swabi and several other cities.
The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), meanwhile, reported that tremors were also felt in Lahore, Faisalabad and Attock.
In its report, the PDMA said that the relevant authorities were inspecting buildings in the affected areas for damage and that the provincial control room and district emergency centres were active 24/7.
Punjab Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said that they did not receive any reports of damage or injury to anyone after the earthquake.
Residents rushed out of homes, offices and commercial buildings as the earthquake shook buildings for several seconds.
Strong tremors were reported in Islamabad and surrounding areas, including Rawalpindi, Hassan Abdal, Taxila, Wah Cantonment, Kallar Syedan and Kahuta.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the earthquake was felt in Peshawar, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Swat, Shangla, Malakand, Mansehra, Torghar, Swabi, Mardan, Chitral, Buner, Nowshera, Battagram, Abbottabad, Kohat, Bannu, Landikotal and adjoining areas. Tremors were also reported in Dera Ismail Khan and nearby localities.
In Punjab, tremors were reported in Lahore, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Murree, Gujar Khan, Okara, Phalia, Malkwal, Safdarabad, Hafizabad, Bhera and Sangla Hill, according to local media reports.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.
Authorities said they were monitoring the situation and advised residents to remain alert and follow safety precautions in the event of possible aftershocks.
The latest earthquake came a day after a series of tremors struck Pakistan’s south-western province of Balochistan.
According to the PMD, three earthquakes hit the Kohlu district on Friday. The first was recorded at 10:25 a.m., followed by another at 10:58 a.m. and a third at 4:49 p.m.
The final earthquake measured 5.1 in magnitude and occurred at a depth of 17 kilometres. Its epicentre was located about 60 kilometres north-east of Kohlu. Tremors were also felt in Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni. No casualties or damage were reported.
