Earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of KP

ISLAMABAD: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck Islamabad and several cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, triggering panic among residents, ARY News reported.

The tremors were felt in Peshawar, Kurram, Mardan and Buner, while people also reported feeling the earthquake in Swat, Shangla, Charsadda and Lower Dir.

According to the Seismological Centre, the earthquake measured 5.3 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 174 kilometres.

The epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, the Seismological Centre said.

A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said emergency response teams have been placed on alert to deal with any untoward situation.

No immediate reports of casualties or property damage have been received.

On June 27, a moderate 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted major cities across Punjab,  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir  (AJK) including Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore.

In KP, strong tremors were felt in Swat, Kohat, Lower Dir, Shangla, Besham, Chitral, Bajaur, Mardan, South and North Waziristan, and Dera Ismail Khan.

The panic was visible as KP assembly members abruptly vacated their seats and rushed out of the building mid-session. Consequently, Deputy Speaker Suraya Bibi announced a five-minute break to allow everyone to reach safety.

The earthquake was also felt across various cities in Punjab, including Chakwal, Sheikhupura, Dipalpur, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Mureee and their surrounding areas.

Besides that the tremors were also felt in Chiniot, Jalalpur Bhatiian, Farooqabad.

As tremors shook the region, frightened residents rushed out of their homes into open spaces, reciting prayers (Kalima Tayyaba). According to the Seismological Center, the earthquake struck at a deep depth of 230 kilometers while tis epicenter was Koh-e-Hindukash in Afghanistan.

Also Read: Balochistan Earthquake: 90 houses collapse, over 20 injured in Musakhel