6.1-magnitude quake rattles K-P, Islamabad

An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted the twin cities and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab on Friday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). A statement from the Pakistan Meteorological Department said the quake occurred at 9:13pm at a depth of 190 kilometres with the epicentre in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region. It added that tremors were felt in Islamabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Swat, Shangla and other areas. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck south of Jurm in Afghanistan. Severe tremors were felt in the federal capital, prompting the Islamabad Police to take immediate precautionary measures. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi directed all officers to assess the situation in their respective areas. He instructed that any incidents requiring assistance be responded to immediately. The IGP also ordered all officers to submit situation reports from their jurisdictions without delay. Rawalpindi Rescue 1122 officials said that no emergency or casualties have been reported in the city following the earthquake. A statement from K-P Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said: "Earthquake tremors were felt in various districts of K-P, including Peshawar, however, Rescue 1122 control has not received any calls from the public yet." Meanwhile, the Punjab's Disaster Management Authority reported that no loss of life or property has been recorded in Punjab following the earthquake. Tremors were felt in Lahore, Mianwali, Jhang, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, the Potohar region, Sargodha, and other districts across the province, the PDMA spokesperson said. The PDMA said relevant authorities were conducting inspections of government and public buildings to assess any potential damage. The provincial control room and district emergency operation centres across Punjab remain operational 24/7 to respond to any incidents. The authority advised the public to report any earthquake-related damages through its helpline at 1129. Earlier in the day, an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 also struck the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border ?region, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said. Last month, a moderate earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale jolted Balochistan's Khuzdar district and surrounding areas, though no casualties or damage were reported. In February, an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Swat, Peshawar, Chitral, and other cities across Pakistan.