A 6.1 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter 44 kilometers southwest of Khost province in Afghanistan jolted parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the federal capital Islamabad early Wednesday.
The earthquake tremors were felt in Multan, Bhakkar, Phalia, Kamalia, Peshawar, Kohat, Shabqadar, Mohmand, Malakand, Swat, Buner, and North Waziristan, according to the meteorological department.
The tremors caused a wave of fear and panic among the citizens, who fled their homes in terror while reciting Kalima Tayyeba.
The earthquake’s epicentre was on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and it had a depth of approximately 50.8 kilometres.
Afghanistan and Tajikistan were also affected by the tremors.
People reported feeling the tremors for 30 to 40 seconds. So far, there have been no reports of casualties or property damage.
According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, approximately 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India felt the shaking over a distance of about 500 km (EMSC).
Earlier, on Friday of last week, strong twin earthquakes shook many cities, including Islamabad.
The first earthquake struck afternoon on Friday last and shook a number of areas in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. The second earthquake jolted the areas including Islamabad in the evening.
According to the seismic centre, the magnitude of the earthquake, which struck at 2:25pm, was five on the Richter Scale and its epicentre was near the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It struck at a depth of 218 kilometres under the ground.
The earthquake tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Okara, Faisalabad, Attock, Multan, Jalalpur Bhattian, Bhakkar, Murree, Hafizabad, and Mianwali.
Malakand, Swat, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Mingora, Peshawar, Swabi, Upper Dir, Buner, Mardan, Diamer, Kohat, and Shangla were among the cities shook by the earthquake in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The powerful earthquake also jolted the Azad Kashmir cities of Rawalakot and Bagh.
The earthquake lasted only a few seconds, but it shook the entire region. Citizens were forced to flee for safety, away from their homes and offices.
People in the affected areas ran out of their homes and offices, reciting verses from the Holy Quran.
According to the US Geological Survey, the second earthquake had a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale, was located near the Afghan-Tajikistan border, and had a depth of 90 kilometres.
