- Epicentre located near Malir’s northwest region.
- Depth of earthquake measured at 10 kilometres.
- No immediate damage or casualties reported.
KARACHI: An earthquake of 3.4 magnitude struck Karachi and its adjoining areas, the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) said on Saturday.
According to the NSMC, the epicentre of the earthquake was located 24 kilometres northwest of the Malir area, with the depth of the earthquake recorded at 10 kilometres.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
It was the third earthquake to strike the country in 24 hours.
Tremors were felt in the city hours after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, jolting Islamabad, Peshawar and several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The tremors were also felt in Swat, Hangu, North Waziristan and Chitral, while residents of Rawalpindi experienced the shaking as well.
The seismological centre said the earthquake measured 5.5 in magnitude and occurred at a depth of 199 kilometres.
It added that the epicentre was located in the Koh Hindu Kush region.
Separately, earthquake tremors were also felt in the Pasni area of Gwadar. According to the NSMC, the Pasni earthquake measured 4.5 in magnitude and occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres.
Pakistan’s susceptibility to earthquakes stems from its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced multiple devastating quakes in recent decades.
In February this year, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Islamabad, Swat, and Hunza, while the 2005 quake in Azad Kashmir killed over 73,000 people and left millions homeless. Balochistan also suffered in 2021, when a quake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue operations due to landslides.
Experts warn that the rugged terrain of Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical.
