Magnitude 5.9 earthquake jolts Punjab, KP cities

ISLAMABAD: An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted major cities in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported quoting PMD.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the epicenter was located in the border region between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, with a depth of 94 kilometers.

Tremors were felt in Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Haripur, Abbottabad, Swabi, Swat, Sargodha, Chiniot, Kotli in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and surrounding areas.

In Punjab, cities including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Sahiwal, Pindi Bhattian, and Toba Tek Singh also experienced the quake. No immediate reports of damage or casualties were recorded.

On April 12, an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted Islamabad and cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said that tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi Swat, Mansehra, Swabi, Mardan, Lakki Marwat and other KP cities.

The tremors were also felt in Karak, Chiniot, Mianwali, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala. Sangla Hill, Safdarabad, Pindi Battian and Attock.

“The center of earthquake was in the north west of Rawalpindi and depth was 12 kilometers. Following the tremors, people came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba.

However, no loss of life or property was reported in its wake.

It is important to note here that, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted a region home to 28 million, toppling buildings such as hospitals, flattening communities and leaving many without food, water and shelter.