Several areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the federal capital were shaken by tremors after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The quake, which originated at 12:28 pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST), had its epicentre near the Dera Ghazi Khan region in southwestern Punjab at a depth of 10 kilometers. Tremors were reported in major cities including Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Mianwali, among others.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake at a slightly lower magnitude of 5.4, affecting areas in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Cities across Punjab and KP experienced the jolt, including Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Swat, North Waziristan, and Buner. Fortunately, no immediate reports of casualties or major damage have been received.
This earthquake comes just two weeks after a 5.4 magnitude quake hit parts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and KP on August 29. Prior to that, a 4.7 magnitude tremor struck the region in June, with other minor quakes affecting Karachi in May and April.
Pakistan is frequently affected by seismic activity due to its location on the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. This region is part of South Asia’s seismically active zone, as the Indian plate pushes northward into the Eurasian plate.
