5.9-magnitude earthquake rocks Punjab, Islamabad, parts of KP

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted several parts of Punjab, as well as Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Saturday evening, prompting authorities to inspect buildings for any damage.

According to the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), tremors were felt in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, Multan, the Pothohar region and several other districts across the province.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the earthquake struck at 6:35pm with its epicentre in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. The quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and occurred at a depth of around 178 kilometres.

The PMD said tremors were also reported in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Mansehra, Shangla, Swat and Chakwal.