Karachi:
A series of soft earthquakes shook Karachi on Sunday, with the strongest tremor recorded in 3.6 magnitude on the Richter scale.
People in the affected areas cited at least six replicas after the soft agitator on Sunday.
According to the Seismic Monitoring Center of the Department of Meteorology of Pakistan, the epicenter was close to Quaidabad, and the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:33 pm on Sunday. This marks the second tremor in Karachi this year, after an earthquake of magnitude 4.7 on March 31.
Later at night, they felt replicas in several neighborhoods, including Malir, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Korangi and Jafar Tayyar Society. The second tremor, registered at 1:03 am, had a magnitude of 3.2 with a depth of 12 kilometers, and its epicenter was close to the city of Gadap.
A third round of tremors in areas such as Quaidabad and Malir was reported.
The repeated clashes sent to the residents flee from their homes, recite prayers such as Kalima and Duroood Sharif, and remain outdoors with fear. According to reports, some houses suffered minor structural damage, including cracks on the walls.
No important injuries or damage were reported, but fear and uncertainty extended throughout the city.
Many people said they left their homes when the beds began to shake and the windows shook.
Adding fuel to the fire, the so -called experts led to social networks with city failures details and the possibilities of a large earthquake.
An influencer of social networks came to affirm that the excess of drawing of groundwater has caused the failures to move and malir and the city were about to experience a great earthquake.
The fact is that Karachi is located 150 km from the union of three tectonic plates in the sea, making it vulnerable to an earthquake and tsunami.
Expert insight
The associate professor and geologist at the University of Karachi, Dr. Adnan Khan, told Express PAkGazette that these tremors were minor and not a cause of alarm. He explained that Karachi is in a passive margin, far from any important failure, which makes large and destructive earthquakes very unlikely.
“These tremors are classified as ‘minor tremors’, as a result of minor tectonic movements and accumulation of stress in the earth’s crust,” said Dr. Khan. He added that the tectonic activity of the Himalayas, which changes the mountain range to the north of four to five cm every year, causes a distant pressure that can trigger such lower events.
He also noted that human activities, such as the burning of industrial waste and excessive extraction of groundwater, can subtly alter the structure of the earth, potentially influencing seismic behavior.
Dr. Khan advised citizens to remain quiet during mild tremors and follow standard precautions, to leave buildings immediately and move to open areas, staying away from the foundations or high structures.
Official response
Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi urged residents to keep calm and not believe in rumors that circulate on social networks.
He confirmed that he had consulted the chief meteorologist Ameer Haider Laghari, who assured him that the tremors were not dangerous, although the minor activity could continue for the next seven days. He stressed that earthquakes cannot be predicted with certainty.
The affected areas included Quaidabad, Malir, Saudabad, Gulistan-E-Jauhar, Khokhrapar, Steel Town, Landhi, Korangi, Shah Latif Town and Bhains Colony. The residents reported that they fled their homes during the shocks, put themselves in prayer and were left outdated until the tremors passed.
