An earthquake of 5.5 magnitude hit parts of northern Pakistan on Saturday, with tremors senses in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several districts in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Department of Meteorology of Pakistan (PMD).
The National Seismic Monitoring Center reported that the epicenter was located approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Rawalpindi, at a depth of 12 kilometers.
The tremors were recorded at 12:31 pm local time.
Strong clashes were reported in Islamabad and the twin city of Rawalpindi, which led residents to evacuate houses and buildings with fear. They also felt similar tremors on Swat, Swabi, Buner, Sangla Hill and its surroundings.
The Provincial Disaster Authority (PDMA) PUNJAB confirmed that the earthquake was also felt in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat and other areas of the province.
Until now, it has not been informed of loss of lives or damage to property, according to PDMA officials.
However, emergency response equipment and equipment have been placed on maximum alert in the affected regions.
“The Provincial Control Chamber of the PDMA and the emergency operating centers of the district are still operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said DG PDMA PUNJAB. “Any damage or emergency can be informed through the PDMA aid line in 1129”.
The authorities continue to monitor the situation, and residents have been advised to remain cautious in case of replicas.
