Residents of Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and nearby regions experienced strong tremors late Tuesday night after a 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck parts of northern Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the seismic activity was recorded at around night hours, creating panic among citizens who rushed out of their homes as buildings shook for several seconds.
The PMD’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre confirmed that the earthquake’s epicentre was located in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, approximately 234 kilometres deep beneath the surface. Due to the quake’s significant depth, the tremors were felt over a wide area but did not cause major destruction or casualties.
Tremors were reported from various cities, including Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, and adjoining areas. In many localities, residents shared that they felt strong vibrations lasting a few moments, prompting immediate evacuation from multi-storey buildings and residential complexes.
While the earthquake triggered fear among people, early reports indicated no serious damage to infrastructure or loss of life. Emergency response teams and district administrations in affected regions were put on alert to monitor the situation and respond swiftly in case of aftershocks.
5.3-magnitude earthquake shakes Islamabad, KP, AJK
Earthquake of 5.3 Magnitude Jolts Islamabad, KP, and AJK — Tremors Felt Across Northern Pakistan
