5.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck Islamabad and several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, on Wednesday morning. The tremors were felt in regions like Mohmand, Shabqadar, Attock, Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner, and Abbottabad.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at 10:13 AM and had a depth of 220 kilometers. The epicenter was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, known for frequent seismic activity.

This earthquake adds to a series of tremors in recent years, as the Hindu Kush area lies along the boundary of tectonic plates. Today’s tremors came exactly two months after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Islamabad, parts of Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on September 11. Earlier, in June, a 5.4 magnitude quake had also hit Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and KP.

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So far this year, Pakistan has experienced at least seven earthquakes, including three in Karachi. Earthquakes are common in Pakistan due to its location on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, where seismic activity is frequent as the Indian plate pushes north into the Eurasian plate.