Mild earthquake tremors of 4.2 intensity jolted Islamabad and its adjoining areas on Friday. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the tremors were felt at 6:06 in the morning. People came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba. No loss is reported as per initial reports. It is to be mentioned here that the tremors relatively closer to the surface are likely to bear long-term adverse effects on the buildings. Last year in December, an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 jolted Karachi.

An earthquake of this magnitude in Karachi shocked the seismic experts as they had never earlier recorded an earthquake of such an strength with epicenter within the provincial capital city. Director Seismology Division of Pakistan Meteorology Division (PMD), had said that earthquakes of magnitude just over 3.1 have hit Karachi in the past, with their epicenters being outside the provincial capital. While this quake had epicenter in DHA at 15 kilometers’ distance in the north of Karachi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP