Residents of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several northern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were jolted awake on Tuesday morning when a 5.2-magnitude earthquake rippled through the region. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the tremor struck at 10:20 a.m., with its epicentre located deep in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountains at a depth of 190 kilometres.
Thankfully, authorities confirmed that no casualties or damage were reported. Still, the quake was strong enough to be felt in cities including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat, and Chitral, sparking brief panic among residents.
A Series of Quakes in Recent Months
Tuesday’s jolt comes just weeks after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake shook northern Pakistan in early August, also tracing back to the Hindu Kush belt. That tremor rattled homes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was widely felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Azad Kashmir, Charsadda, and Karak.
The region has seen a string of moderate quakes this year:
- June 11: A 4.7-magnitude tremor in Peshawar.
- May: A 5.3 quake hitting Islamabad, Mardan, Swat, and North Waziristan.
- April 12 & 16: Two back-to-back quakes of magnitudes 5.5 and 5.3 across KP, Punjab, and the capital.
Most of these originate from the same seismic hotspot—the Hindu Kush range—known for its frequent but usually deep earthquakes, which reduce surface-level destruction but remain widely felt across northern Pakistan.
Why Pakistan Feels It So Often
Pakistan’s geography makes such tremors an unfortunate norm. The country lies along the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, a fault line that has produced both devastating quakes and frequent minor tremors.
While most of the recent seismic activity has centred on the north, experts note unusual patterns further south as well. Karachi has recorded over 30 minor shocks this year, linked to movement along the long-dormant Landhi Fault Line, raising concerns among geologists about seismic risks outside the usual hotspots.
The Bigger Picture
Although Tuesday’s quake caused no immediate harm, the repeated tremors highlight the persistent seismic vulnerability of Pakistan. Seismologists warn that while deep-origin quakes like those from the Hindu Kush often pass without major destruction, shallow quakes along fault lines pose a greater threat.
For residents, each tremor serves as a reminder of the region’s fragile seismic landscape—and the pressing need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure in cities most at risk.
