5.9-magnitude earthquake jolts parts of Pakistan, no casualties reported

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rattled parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning, briefly prompting concern in several major cities. No immediate casualties or major damage were reported.

The tremors were felt in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and various areas across the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) reported that the quake originated near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region at a depth of 94 kilometers.

“Initial reports indicate tremors were felt in several districts, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, and Faisalabad,” a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab said in a statement.

Authorities said the epicenter was recorded at latitude 36.21 N and longitude 71.34 E, with the quake striking at 11:47 a.m. local time.

Provincial emergency services were placed on high alert following the tremors, said Imran Qureshi, Director General of PDMA Punjab.

The PDMA added that its provincial control room and district emergency operation centres remain operational around the clock, while citizens have been advised to report any damages via the helpline 1129.

Saturday’s quake comes just a week after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck parts of northern Pakistan on April 12, sending tremors through Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). No major damage or casualties were reported in that incident either.

Pakistan, which lies along the active fault lines of the Himalayan region, frequently experiences seismic activity. In 2005, a devastating earthquake killed more than 80,000 people in the country’s north.

In December last year, a 5.1 magnitude quake struck Punjab province, with tremors felt in Lahore and surrounding areas.