6.1-magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan; no casualties or damage reported

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan on Friday night, with tremors felt across Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials said.

The tremors were reported in several cities, including Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Muzaffarabad, according to initial reports.

Pakistan’s Meteorological Department said the earthquake was recorded at 9:13 p.m. local time (1613 GMT). The National Seismic Monitoring Center said the quake had a depth of 190 kilometers.

The epicenter was located in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at latitude 36.48°N and longitude 70.84°E, the department said.

The department said tremors were felt in multiple areas, including Islamabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Swat and Shangla.

Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said no casualties or property damage had been reported in the province.

Tremors were felt in several districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Mianwali, Jhang, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, the Potohar region and Sargodha, a PDMA spokesperson said.

Authorities said relevant administrations were conducting inspections of buildings following the quake.

The PDMA said its provincial control room and district emergency operation centers across Punjab remained operational around the clock.

Residents were advised to report any damage through the PDMA helpline, the spokesperson added.