5.7-magnitude earthquake shakes Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
By Sardar Burhan :
Tremors were felt across Islamabad and several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday after a moderate earthquake struck the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, officials said.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the quake measured 5.7 on the Richter scale and occurred at around 11:46 local time. Its epicentre was located near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border at a depth of approximately 170 kilometres.
Residents reported feeling the tremors in multiple districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Swat, Shangla and Buner, as well as in the federal capital. Despite the widespread shaking, authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.
The region lies close to the seismically active Hindu Kush zone, where earthquakes are relatively common due to tectonic activity beneath the earth’s surface. Experts say quakes originating at greater depths, such as Monday’s event, tend to be felt over wider areas but are often less destructive than shallow ones.
Pakistan has experienced several similar tremors in recent months. Earlier in April, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region, with shocks felt across northern parts of the country, including Islamabad and Peshawar. In February, another quake measuring 5.6 was recorded in the same region, again sending tremors across multiple cities.
Meanwhile, parts of Balochistan were shaken last month by a smaller 4.5-magnitude earthquake centred near Khuzdar, though no damage was reported.
Seismologists say the frequency of such events highlights the need for continued preparedness and resilient infrastructure, particularly in mountainous and densely populated areas prone to seismic activity.
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