- Epicenter registered 40 km north of Kohlu at a depth of 15 km.
- No casualties or structural damage reported from the latest tremor so far.
- Friday’s tremors were felt as far as Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
QUETTA: A fresh earthquake rattled Kohlu district of Balochistan on Saturday, the third such tremor to hit the area within two days, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Center (NSMC) in Quetta.
The latest earthquake registered a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located 40 kilometers north of Kohlu at a depth of 15 kilometers – lower than the previous tremor.
However, so far no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage have been received.
The renewed seismic activity follows two separate tremors the previous day, leaving residents uneasy and wary of further aftershocks.
The most significant of these earlier earthquakes – measuring 5.1 in magnitude – caused tangible destruction. At least three people, including a child, sustained injuries and approximately 70 houses were partially damaged in Kingri, according to Abdul Razaq Khajak, Deputy Commissioner of Musa Khel.
The injuries occurred in separate wall collapse incidents, with the injured subsequently transferred to the nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The earthquake, recorded by the NSMC at a depth of 17 kilometers, had its epicenter 60 kilometers northeast of Kohlu, with tremors felt as far away as Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
Later, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the earthquake was the third in a single day.
The first earthquake was registered at 10.25, followed by another at 10.58, while the third tremor was felt at 16.49, says the Met Office.
Earlier in the afternoon, earthquake tremors were also felt in Kohlu.
A 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck Lahore and adjoining areas earlier this month, sending residents rushing out of their homes and buildings in panic.
The NSMC said on June 5 that the earthquake measured 4.9 in magnitude and struck at a depth of 18 kilometers, with its epicenter located in the Kashmir region.
Pakistan’s susceptibility to earthquakes stems from its location along the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes in recent decades.
In February this year, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake rattled Islamabad, Swat and Hunza, while the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir killed over 73,000 people and left millions homeless.
Balochistan also suffered in 2021 when an earthquake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue efforts due to landslides.
Experts warn that the rugged terrain in Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical.
