Strong Earthquake Shakes Northern Pakistan

Residents in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and surrounding regions were jolted awake shortly after midnight on Saturday by a notable earthquake. The 5.1-magnitude tremor struck at 12:10 am, causing widespread alarm and prompting many to leave their residences.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), situated in Islamabad, indicated that the earthquake’s origin was at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres.

The quake was centered approximately 15 kilometres southeast of Rawat.

Reports also confirmed that the seismic activity was felt in Attock, Swabi, and Zafarwal, in addition to various northern regions, including Swat, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, and Murree.

The tremors extended into Jhelum and multiple locations within Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

At this time, there have been no verified reports regarding injuries or property damage.

Just a day prior, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake impacted northern Pakistan, causing buildings to shake across numerous cities and towns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Seismic monitoring sources stated the earthquake’s source was within Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush area, recorded at a depth of 114 kilometres. The NSMC noted that these previous tremors occurred at 2:03am.

Citizens in areas including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Azad Kashmir, Charsadda and Karak also reported that they felt the earlier earthquake.

Reports indicated that these jolts were felt in several parts of the federal capital. Ground shaking was also observed in Gujranwala and its adjacent areas.

On June 11, a 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck Peshawar. In the preceding month, a more substantial 5.3-magnitude earthquake impacted Islamabad and several districts of KP, including Mardan, Swat, Nowshera, Swabi, and North Waziristan. The centers for both earthquakes were deep within the Hindu Kush mountain range.

Earlier in April, two additional earthquakes were recorded in the region. A 5.5-magnitude tremor was reported on April 12, which was succeeded by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake on April 16. These tremors extended through parts of KP, Punjab, Azad Kashmir, and the federal capital.

Pakistan is located on a significant fault line, positioned between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, increasing the chances of earthquakes, particularly in the northern regions.

Karachi has experienced unusual seismic events this year, with over 30 minor tremors detected within a short period. Experts suggest these events are connected to activity along the dormant Landhi Fault Line.