5.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistans Islamabad, KP and Punjab

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck components of Pakistan, together with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Islamabad, leaving residents in a state of panic.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake occurred at 2:04 a.m. PST at a depth of 102km, with its epicentre positioned within The Hindukush Mountain area in Afghanistan.

Tremors had been additionally felt in numerous areas of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, NSMC said.The earthquake was felt in quite a few districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, together with Peshawar, Swat, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Karak, Dir, Mardan, Mohmand, Shangla, Hangu, Swabi, Haripur, and Abbottabad, as per ARY News.

Tremors had been additionally felt within the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Lahore, Attock, Taxila, Murree, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Ferozwala, Muridke and different components of Punjab.

According to ARY News, the quake precipitated widespread panic, prompting individuals to hurry out of their houses and recite verses from the holy e book.

However, no losses of life or property had been reported.

Notably, Pakistan is taken into account some of the seismically energetic nations on the earth, located in a area the place the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide.

This collision zone makes the nation extremely susceptible to violent earthquakes. Provinces corresponding to Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan lie on the southern fringe of the Eurasian plate, whereas Sindh and Punjab are positioned on the northwestern fringe of the Indian plate, contributing to frequent earthquake exercise.

The nation’s geography makes sure areas extra liable to earthquakes, together with the high-risk areas, which embody Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, attributable to their proximity to main fault traces just like the Main Central Thrust.

Balochistan, positioned close to the energetic boundary between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Other susceptible areas, corresponding to Punjab, which lies on the northwestern fringe of the Indian plate, are vulnerable to seismic exercise.

Sindh, although much less inclined, continues to be in danger attributable to its location.

One of the numerous earthquakes in Pakistan’s historical past contains the 1945 Balochistan earthquake (8.1 magnitude), the biggest earthquake in Pakistan’s historical past.