Tremors were felt in several parts of the country, including Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, on Saturday.  Reports said a 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Lahore, Islamabad, Murree, Peshawar, Lower Dir, Bajaur and Malakand.  Several parts of Punjab including Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot also were shaken.  People in the affected areas moved out of their houses and workplaces in panic.  

Authorities have reported that the depth of earthquake was 94 kilometres and the epicentre was Afghanistan-Tajikstan border. Tremors were also felt in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city. Several incidents of tremors in parts of Pakistan have been reported in the last 10 days.  On April 16, an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the scale struck federal capital Islamabad and several cities in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir in the wee hours, Dunya News reported.  

Tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Zafarwal, Sarai Alamgir, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swat, Chitral, Shangla, Malakand, Muzaffarbad, Bhimber, and several other cities.  People came out of their homes in panic and recited verses from the Holy Quran. No loss of life and property was reported from any part of the country. 

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre, Islamabad, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Hindukush Mountain range in Afghanistan at the depth of 121 kilometres. Earlier on April 12, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Islamabad and several parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Punjab, tremors were felt in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Sangla Hill, Chakwal, Hafizabad, Shiekhupura, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and other cities. 

The earthquake jolted Swabi, Haripur, Abbottabad, Swat, Malakand, Mardan, Lakki Marwat and other cities of KP.  The epicentre of the earthquake was located 60km northwest of Rawalpindi while it occured at a depth of 12 kilometres. On March 31 last, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Karachi.

The Meteorological Department said in a statement that tremors were felt in some areas of Karachi. According to the Seismological Centre, the earthquake measured 4.7 on the scale, the depth of the earthquake was 19 kilometres, and the epicentre was 75 kilometres north of Karachi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)