- Epicenter recorded 40 km north of Kohlu at 15 km depth.
- So far, no casualties or structural damage have been reported following the latest tremor.
- Friday’s tremors were felt as far as Zhob, Barkhan and Rakhni.
QUETTA: A fresh earthquake shook Balochistan’s Kohlu district on Saturday, the third such earthquake to hit the region in two days, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Center (NSMC) in Quetta.
The latest earthquake recorded a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located 40 kilometers north of Kohlu, at a depth of 15 kilometers, shallower than the previous quake.
However, no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage have been received so far.
The resumption of seismic activity follows two distinct tremors the day before, leaving residents unstable and wary of new aftershocks.
The largest of these previous earthquakes – measuring 5.1 magnitude – caused tangible destruction. At least three people, including a child, were injured and around 70 houses were partially damaged in Kingri, according to Abdul Razaq Khajak, deputy commissioner of Musa Khel.
The injuries occurred during separate wall collapse incidents, with the injured later transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment.
This 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 recorded at 10:25 a.m., followed by a second at 10:58 a.m., while the third tremor was felt at 4:49 p.m., the Met Office said.
Earlier in the afternoon, earthquakes were also felt in Kohlu.
A 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck Lahore and neighboring areas earlier this month, prompting residents to leave their homes and buildings in panic.
The NSMC said on June 5 that the earthquake measured 4.9 magnitude and struck at a depth of 18 kilometers, with its epicenter located in the Kashmir region.
Pakistan’s vulnerability to earthquakes stems from its geographic location, on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes in recent decades.
In February this year, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook Islamabad, Swat and Hunza, while the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir killed more than 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 operations due to landslides.
Experts warn that the rugged terrain of Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical.
