5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Pakistan, tremors felt in Jammu and Kashmir

A moderate-intensity earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck Pakistan at around 1 pm on Saturday, with tremors felt in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tremors were felt across many parts of the Valley, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, with coordinates of 33.63 degrees North latitude and 72.46 degrees East longitude.


According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the recent earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10km, increasing the likelihood of aftershocks.

Shallow earthquakes are typically more dangerous than deeper ones because the seismic waves travel a shorter distance to the surface, causing stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and higher casualties.

Pakistan, located on the boundary of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, is one of the most seismically active countries. The nation frequently experiences destructive earthquakes due to its position on major fault lines. Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Gilgit-Baltistan lie on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate, while Sindh, Punjab, and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are on the north-western edge of the Indian plate. The collision of these plates makes the region highly susceptible to violent earthquakes.

Earlier, Pakistan’s neighbor Tajikistan was also jolted by a 4.2 magnitude earthquake.