QUETTA: A moderate earthquake measuring 5.1 magnitude struck Balochistan's Kohlu district, injuring three people, including a child, and damaging numerous houses in the Kingri area, according to the Musa Khel deputy commissioner.
Abdul Razaq Khajak said that those injured in wall collapse incidents were moved to the hospital for medical treatment.
According to Khajak, rescue teams led by assistant commissioners have been dispatched to Kingri.
The Musa Khel DC's statement comes after the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said that an earthquake measuring 5.1 in magnitude struck Kohlu, with tremors also felt in Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
According to the NSMC, the earthquake originated at a depth of 17 kilometres, with its epicentre located 60 kilometres northeast of Kohlu.
Residents in Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni also experienced the tremors.
Later, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the earthquake was the third time in a single day.
The first earthquake was recorded at 10:25am, followed by a second at 10:58am, while the third tremor was felt at 4:49pm, the Met Office said.
Earlier in the afternoon, earthquake tremors had also been felt in Kohlu.
A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck Lahore and adjoining areas earlier this month, prompting residents to rush out of their homes and buildings in panic.
The NSMC said on June 5 that the earthquake measured 4.9 in magnitude and struck at a depth of 18 kilometres, with its epicentre located in the Kashmir region.
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.
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.
