Magnitude 5.3 earthquake shakes parts of Pakistan

An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 jolted several parts of the country including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and their adjoining areas, ARY News reported.

The magnitude of the quake was 5.3 on Richter Scale, seismic center reported.

The tremors were felt in several cities including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan, Kohat, Swat, Lower Dir, Malakand, as well as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Muzaffarabad.

The epicentre of the earthquake was the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, and its depth was 130 kilometres, according to the seismic centre.

However, no loss of life and damage to property was reported from any part of Loralai so far. People came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba.

Earlier on Feb 19, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly the Ghizer district, sending tremors through the region earlier.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the epicenter of the quake was along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, with a depth of 102 kilometers, causing tremors across the bordering areas.

Fortunately, no major damage or casualties have been reported as of now, bringing a sense of relief to the affected communities, a private news channel reported.

Authorities are actively monitoring the situation, ensuring a swift and coordinated response to any developments.