A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning, causing panic across major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and several areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The tremors, the third in a week’s span, recorded at 11:47am, prompted residents to flee their homes and workplaces in fear.
According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the epicentre was located near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region, with a depth of 94 kilometres at latitude 36.21 N and longitude 71.34 E.
Strong tremors were felt in Lower Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Nowshera, Dir Bala, Shabqadar, Mohmand, Chitral, Swat, Swabi, Gilgit and Mardan. Additional shocks were also reported in Punjab’s Chiniot, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Bhalwal, and Mansehra, as well as the Neelum Valley’s Athmuqam area in Azad Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude of 5.7 earthquake, 53 kilometres south southwest of Ashkasham in Afghanistan. The survey showed the epicentre near to the Pak-Afghan border.
