According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the quake was recorded at 5:15pm at a depth of 120 kilometres. Tremors were felt in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Swat, and Chitral, forcing many residents to rush out of buildings in fear.
The PMD confirmed that the earthquake’s epicentre was located in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountain range, a region known for frequent seismic activity.
Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported two separate quakes in the same area. The first, of 4.7 magnitude, struck less than 30 kilometres from the western Pak-Afghan border at a depth of 10 kilometres around 4:53pm. The second, measuring 5.5 in magnitude, occurred less than 10 kilometres from Pakistan’s northern border at the same depth just after 5:15pm.
No immediate reports of damage or casualties were received from any affected area, but residents described the tremors as strong and lasting several seconds.
“The earthquake was felt in the district but no emergency was reported,’’ Layyah Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Waseem Hayat said.
Frequent tremors in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan highlight the region’s position on active fault lines. Experts say that deep-focus earthquakes in the Hindu Kush area are common but rarely cause large-scale destruction. Still, the repeated seismic activity serves as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability and the urgent need for earthquake-resistant infrastructure and public preparedness.
