5.3-magnitude earthquake rattles Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Regions

Tremors Felt Across Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, Shangla, and Other KP Locals
By Web Desk | November 13, 2024

The seismic event struck at precisely 10:13 a.m., according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The epicenter, located at a depth of 220 kilometers, lay within the tectonically volatile Hindu Kush region.

ISLAMABAD:

A tremor measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted Islamabad and a vast swath of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early this Wednesday.

The unsettling vibrations were also felt in numerous towns and districts, including Mohmand, Shabqadar, Attock, Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner, and Abbottabad, as they rippled through the region.

According to the Seismological Centre of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at exactly 10:13 a.m., with its epicenter traced to the Hindu Kush mountain range. The quake’s depth was measured at 220 kilometers.

This zone, situated at the confluence of tectonic plates, is notorious for its frequent seismic activity. The Hindu Kush region has long been recognized as a volatile hotspot due to its precarious position on the tectonic fault lines.

This latest disturbance adds to a growing pattern of seismic incidents in the area. The Hindu Kush has frequently been the site of strong earthquakes, and the area’s location along the tectonic plate boundary between India and Eurasia has made its geological instability worse.

The tremors on Wednesday serve as a grim reminder of the seismic risks in the region, following the 5.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Islamabad and parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on September 11. The September earthquake itself came on the heels of a 5.4-magnitude tremor earlier in June, which had rattled Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and neighboring areas.

Pakistan has already seen at least seven notable seismic events this year, with three of those occurring in Karachi, a coastal city that experiences tremors frequently.

Earthquakes are a constant threat in Pakistan due to its position on the volatile intersection of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The ongoing collision between these massive plates has made South Asia one of the most seismically active regions on the planet.