Earthquake jolts Lahore, Islamabad, parts of KP

A strong earthquake on Saturday shook Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Shabqadar, Mohmand, Nowshera, Malakand and Bajaur spreading fear among people who fled their homes and offices, reciting prayers.

In KP, strong tremors were felt in Peshawar, Mardan, Mohmand, Shabqadar, Lower Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Nowshera, Dir Bala, Swat, Swabi, Chitral, and Gilgit. In Azad Kashmir, tremors were also experienced in the Neelum Valley's Athmuqam area.

Several parts of Punjab including Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot also were shaken.  

The tremors, the third in a week, occurred at 11:47 am and caused widespread panic, especially in high-rise buildings, prompting occupants to evacuate quickly in fear.

As of now, no casualties or property damage have been reported. However, authorities are closely monitoring the situation and assessing any potential impact.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of 94 kilometres. The epicentre was located near the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border region, at latitude 36.21 N and longitude 71.34 E.

Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, 53 kilometres south-southwest of Ashkasham in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“It was brief but a powerful one. I felt the entire bed shake and had to quickly run out of our house with my family,” said Shahjahan Khurram, a resident of Islamabad. Ayesha Rehman, working in Blue Area, shared that people in her office rushed out in panic as soon as the jolt was felt.

The latest tremors come just days after a 5.5-magnitude quake on April 12 and a 5.3 on April 16 shook many of the same regions, making it the third incident within a week.

For residents of Islamabad, this earthquake also follows the recent havoc caused by a heavy hailstorm on April 16, which left a trail of destruction including smashed car windows, broken tree branches, and damaged solar panels.

Pakistan is currently witnessing extreme weather conditions, with hailstorms and rains in parts of Punjab and Islamabad, while Karachi and South Punjab continue to face heatwave-like temperatures.