3.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Karachi and nearby areas

KARACHI: A 3.4-magnitude earthquake struck Karachi and adjoining areas on Saturday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC).

The NSMC said the epicentre was located 24 kilometres northwest of Malir, while the depth was recorded at 10 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage following the tremor.

The Karachi quake was the third earthquake reported in the country within 24 hours.

Earlier, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Peshawar and several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The shaking was also reported in Swat, Hangu, North Waziristan and Chitral, while residents in Rawalpindi also felt the tremors.

The seismological centre said that earthquake measured 5.5 in magnitude and occurred at a depth of 199 kilometres. The epicentre was located in the Koh Hindu Kush region.

Separately, tremors were also felt in Pasni in Gwadar. According to the NSMC, that earthquake measured 4.5 in magnitude and occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres.

Pakistan’s earthquake exposure

Pakistan is vulnerable to earthquakes because of its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has seen several destructive earthquakes over the years.

In February this year, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook Islamabad, Swat and Hunza. In 2005, a major earthquake in Azad Kashmir killed more than 73,000 people and left millions homeless.

Balochistan was also hit in 2021, when an earthquake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and disrupted rescue work because of landslides.

Experts have warned that the difficult terrain in Pakistan’s earthquake-prone regions can complicate relief operations, making preparedness especially important.