An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale jolted Islamabad, Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas early Friday morning. According to the seismological center, the earthquake hit parts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir around 5:30 in the morning. The depth of the earthquake was 16 kilometers, while the epicenter was in the South-West of Kashmir. People came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba. However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported from any part of Islamabad, Rawalpindi so far. Last month, an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted Gilgit and its adjoining areas.

The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) confirmed that tremors were felt in Gilgit and the adjoining areas. However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported from anywhere so far. According to NSMC Islamabad, the depth of the quake was recorded at 45 kilometers and the epicenter was 84 kilometers in the North West. In October, a mild earthquake of 3.1 magnitude on the Richter Scale jolted different areas of Karachi – the capital of Sindh province. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre Islamabad, the depth of the quake was recorded at 15 kilometers and the epicenter was near the Quaidabad area of Karachi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)