KARACHI: Residents in several parts of Karachi felt jolts from an earthquake on Friday, sending people rushing out of homes and offices.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) recorded a 4‑magnitude quake at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre about 100 kilometres south of Karachi.
The tremors were reported in Landhi, Khurramabad, Malir, and Korangi, according to the NSMC.
Authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. It must be noted that the country's most populous coastal metropolis has experienced multiple tremors in recent months.
Before this temblor, Karachi last experienced seismic activity on March 10, 2026, when a 3.2‑magnitude quake shook parts of the city, including Malir, at a depth of around 35 kilometres.
On January 19, 2026, a major 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Islamabad, with tremors originating at a depth of 10 kilometres.
It was also felt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat and Gilgit-Baltistan’s Hunza, where residents reported partial damage to more than 100 homes, with cracks appearing in walls.
Landslides caused road and pathway closures, including sections of the Karakoram Highway.
According to the US Geological Survey, the quake measured 5.9 on the Richter scale and was located about 50 kilometres north-northwest of Barishal at a depth of 35 kilometres.
Since June 2025, Karachi has felt dozens of minor to moderate tremors, highlighting the region’s ongoing seismic activity.
Pakistan straddles the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making the country susceptible to earthquakes.
The region can be challenging to navigate during crises — in 2015, a 7.5-magnitude quake in Pakistan and Afghanistan killed almost 400 people across rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts.
The country was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake in 2005 that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Azad Kashmir.
Balochistan saw a quake in 2021 that killed at least 20 people and left more than 10 injured, with landslides hampering initial rescue efforts in the remote mountainous district of Harnai.
