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An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale struck Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor occurred at 1:44 am IST and had its epicentre located at latitude 29.67°N and longitude 66.10°E, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Fourth Earthquake in Recent Weeks
This latest tremor marks the fourth earthquake to strike Pakistan in recent weeks, highlighting growing seismic activity in the region.
Just five days earlier, on May 5, a 4.2-magnitude quake was reported at 4:00 pm IST, with tremors felt near the Chitral District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, close to the Afghanistan border.
Earlier the same day, a 4.2-magnitude earthquake also hit Afghanistan at 12:35 pm IST, indicating seismic disturbances across the broader region.
Prior to these, on April 30, a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 9:58 pm IST. Its epicentre was recorded at latitude 31.08°N and longitude 68.84°E, with a depth of 50 kilometres.
The strongest tremor in the current sequence occurred on April 12, when a 5.8-magnitude quake hit at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, raising alarms over the possibility of aftershocks.
High Seismic Risk Zone
Pakistan is situated in one of the most earthquake-prone regions of the world. The country lies at the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, a geological intersection that frequently produces significant seismic events.
“Continuous tectonic stress in these zones keeps Pakistan at high risk of seismic disturbances,” say experts.
Areas such as Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan are particularly vulnerable as they rest on the southern edge of the Eurasian Plate. Meanwhile, Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir lie on the Indian Plate, further exposing them to tectonic instability.
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