- The epicenter was recorded 40 kilometers north of Kohlu at a depth of 15 kilometers.
- So far, no victims or structural damage have been reported from the latest earthquake.
- Friday’s tremors were felt as far as Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
QUETTA: A fresh earthquake hit Balochistan’s Kohlu district on Saturday, the third such tremor to hit the area in two days, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Center (NSMC) in Quetta.
The latest earthquake registered a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located 40 kilometers north of Kohlu at a depth of 15 kilometers, shallower than the previous tremor.
However, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage so far.
The renewed seismic activity follows two separate tremors the previous day, which left residents uneasy and fearful of new aftershocks.
The most significant of those earlier earthquakes, magnitude 5.1, caused tangible destruction. At least three people, including a child, were injured and approximately 70 houses were partially damaged in Kingri, according to Abdul Razaq Khajak, deputy commissioner of Musa Khel.
The injuries occurred in separate wall collapse incidents, and the injured were subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
That earthquake, recorded by the NSMC at a depth of 17 kilometres, had its epicenter 60 kilometers northeast of Kohlu, and tremors were felt as far away as Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) later said the earthquake was the third in a single day.
The first earthquake was recorded at 10:25 am, followed by a second at 10:58 am, while the third tremor was felt at 4:49 pm, the Met Office said.
Tremors were also felt in Kohlu in the early afternoon.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Lahore and adjoining areas earlier this month, causing residents to rush out of their homes and buildings in panic.
The NSMC said on June 5 that the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.9 and occurred at a depth of 18 kilometers, with the epicenter located in the Kashmir region.
Pakistan’s susceptibility to earthquakes is due to its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced multiple devastating earthquakes in recent decades.
In February this year, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Islamabad, Swat and Hunza, while the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir killed more than 73,000 people and left millions homeless.
Balochistan also suffered in 2021, when an earthquake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue operations due to landslides.
Experts warn that the rugged terrain of earthquake-prone areas of Pakistan complicates relief efforts and makes preparation critical.
