5.9 Magnitude quake rocks Islamabad, Lahore and other cities of Pakistan

Islamabad, Lahore and numerous other towns across Pakistan were shaken by a severe earthquake on Saturday, leading to panic among people as tremors were detected across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and adjacent territories.

After the shaking, people in numerous regions hurried out of houses and offices, and authorities began analyzing the situation.

The earthquake was felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad, Malakand, Swat, Dir, Abbottabad and other areas. Strong earthquakes were felt in several places, with many residents moving to open spaces for safety.

In Muzaffarabad, people were reportedly chanting religious scriptures while coming out of their houses during the earthquake, whereas similar scenes were recorded in other affected districts as locals gathered outside buildings following the jolts.

The quake was initially reported as 5.9 on the Richter scale. Information supplied by authorities said the epicentre of the earthquake was in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. Initial evaluations from several agencies put the depth of the earthquake at between 178 to 191 km below the Earth.

The tremors were felt in several parts of Punjab, including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Chiniot, Bhera, Kalur Kot, Quaidabad, Taxila, Hasan Abdal, Faisalabad, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, Multan and Potohar region.

Shaking was reported in Peshawar, Haripur, Abbottabad, Swabi, Charsadda, Hangu, Orakzai, Malakand, Swat, Lower Dir and Upper Dir and other areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Tremors were also observed from Muzaffarabad and areas around it.

The earthquake was felt in many parts of the province, the PDMA said in its report. The government stated the earthquake measured 5.9 on the Richter scale and its originating location was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush highlands.

PDMA Director General said district administrations were quickly alerted following the earthquake. Officials began checking structures across a range of places for damage.

The provincial control room and district emergency operation centres across Punjab have been kept active around the clock, as authorities continue to monitor developments and gather information from the affected districts.

There were no initial reports of deaths or large financial damage, officials added. Relevant departments are looking into the situation and collecting details on any possible impact.

The PDMA spokesperson nasked locals to inform on any deaths or property loss caused by the earthquake by calling the authority’s helpline number 1129 so that the emergency teams could respond quickly if needed.