Tremors were felt across Islamabad, Peshawar and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded by the Seismic Monitoring Centre.
According to the monitoring centre, the quake originated at a depth of 125 kilometres, with its epicentre located in the border area between Tajikistan and China. No reports of casualties or damage were received.
Pakistan's susceptibility to earthquakes stems from its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced multiple devastating quakes in recent decades.
The latest tremors to hit the federal capital and surrounding areas were just days ago, and before that in Karachi last month.
In February this year, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Islamabad, Swat, and Hunza, while the 2005 quake in Azad Kashmir killed over 73,000 people and left millions homeless. Balochistan also suffered in 2021, when a quake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue operations due to landslides.
Experts warn that the rugged terrain of Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical.
