On Wednesday, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan, including the capital, Islamabad, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake with a slightly lower magnitude of 5.1.
The earthquake, centered in Afghanistan’s Hindukush mountain range at a depth of 220 kilometers, struck at 10:13 am (local time), as confirmed by both the USGS and PMD. Tremors were felt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, and parts of Punjab, prompting people to evacuate buildings out of caution. No casualties or damages have been reported so far.
Pakistan frequently experiences seismic activity, particularly in mountainous regions. The 2005 earthquake remains the deadliest in the country’s history, claiming over 74,000 lives.