ISLAMABAD: A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Punjab on Monday, according to the seismological centre. The epicentre of the quake was located in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan.
The seismological centre said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 215 kilometres beneath the surface.
The tremors were felt across a wide area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar and its surrounding regions, Swat, Buner, Hangu, Shangla, Kohat, Mohmand, Shabqadar, Bajaur, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Swabi, Dera Ismail Khan and adjoining areas.
Residents of Tank city and its suburbs also experienced the tremors, along with people living in Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan, including various parts of Wana.
In Punjab, the earthquake was felt in Multan and nearby areas. Tremors were also reported in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Rescue authorities confirmed that the earthquake was felt in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and advised citizens to contact the emergency helpline 1122 immediately in case of any emergency situation.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage following the earthquake.
Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has witnessed several devastating earthquakes over the past decades.