5.4 magnitude earthquake jolts parts of Pakistan

Published August 29, 2024
This screengrab shows the epicentre in Afghanistan of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Aug 29, 2024. — USGS
This screengrab shows the epicentre in Afghanistan of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Aug 29, 2024. — USGS

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake was felt in parts of Pakistan, mostly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Thursday.

The quake had a magnitude of 5.4 and occurred at 5:56am UTC (10:56am Pakistan time), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush Region in Afghanistan and it had a depth of 215 kilometres, the PMD website stated.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) stated the quake’s epicentre was 28km west-southwest of Afghanistan’s Ishkashim town.

According to Dawn News, the tremors were felt across various cities of KP, including Mardan, Malakand, Hangu, Buner, Shangla, Dir and Charsadda.

Jolts were also felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore, Dawn News reported.

No loss of life has been reported as of yet.

In KP’s Shangla district, Rescue 1122 staff was put on high alert after the tremors were felt.

“No emergency call has been received by the Rescue 1122 control room so far,” the service in Shangla said in a statement.

 People gather outside their homes in Multan after tremors of a 5.4-magnitude quake were felt on Aug 29, 2024. — DawnNewsTV
People gather outside their homes in Multan after tremors of a 5.4-magnitude quake were felt on Aug 29, 2024. — DawnNewsTV

In Punjab, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said the quake was felt in several cities, including Lahore, Multan, Islamabad, Gujranwala and Sargodha.

Quoting initial reports, the PDMA statement said the authority had not yet received any reports of loss of life or property.

“The entire Punjab administration is busy checking buildings. The staff and machinery have been put on alert to deal with the earthquake’s aftershocks,” the statement quoted the PDMA director-general as saying.

Opinion

Editorial

Football elections
17 Nov, 2024

Football elections

PAKISTAN football enters the most crucial juncture of its ‘normalisation’ era next week, when an Extraordinary...
IMF’s concern
17 Nov, 2024

IMF’s concern

ON Friday, the IMF team wrapped up its weeklong unscheduled talks on the Fund’s ongoing $7bn programme with the...
‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs
Updated 17 Nov, 2024

‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs

If curbing pornography is really the country’s foremost concern while it stumbles from one crisis to the next, there must be better ways to do so.
Agriculture tax
Updated 16 Nov, 2024

Agriculture tax

Amendments made in Punjab's agri income tax law are crucial to make the system equitable.
Genocidal violence
16 Nov, 2024

Genocidal violence

A RECENTLY released UN report confirms what many around the world already know: that Israel has been using genocidal...
Breathless Punjab
16 Nov, 2024

Breathless Punjab

PUNJAB’s smog crisis has effectively spiralled out of control, with air quality readings shattering all past...