A 5.5 magnitude earthquake was felt in Islamabad and various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Seismic Network.
The tremors were experienced in areas including Peshawar, Attock, and Chitral. Fortunately, initial reports indicate no casualties or damage resulted from the seismic activity.
The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), part of the PMD, reported that the earthquake originated at a depth of 195 kilometers, with its epicenter located in the Hindu Kush region.
Earthquakes have become a relatively common occurrence in this region, particularly affecting Pakistan and Afghanistan. This heightened seismic activity is attributed to the region’s location at the intersection of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Just last month, a devastating magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, resulting in over 2,200 deaths and numerous injuries.
In the days following that event, tremors were also felt across several areas of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mardan, Chitral, and Murree. Reports even indicated that the effects were felt as far away as Lahore, causing widespread panic as residents rushed out of their homes.