Quetta, June 29 (UNI) A Moderate earthquake jolted Pakistan today, with tremors being felt nationwide, triggering mass panic among the public.

The earthquake which recorded at 5.3-5.5 on the Richter Scale hit the nation at IST 3:54 pm, though there were no casualties or any major infrastructure damage, reports Samma TV.



As per the United States National Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at approximately 3:30am (2230 GMT) with a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was located around 60 km north-northeast of Barkhan in the rugged terrain of Balochistan province.



Meanwhile, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) estimated the magnitude at 5.5, while the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre placed the epicentre 149 km west of Multan.



Pakistan’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre reported the quake at a depth of 28 km, with its epicentre located 56 km northeast of Musakhel district. Tremors were felt in Barkhan, Musakhel, and surrounding areas, causing people to rush outdoors in fear.



“There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries,” said a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).



“We remain in touch with local administrations and are closely monitoring the situation.”



Additional tremors were felt in the Punjab cities of Dera Ismaili Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, as well as in various areas of POK.



No injuries or structural damage were reported immediately. Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation.



Pakistan is one of the most earthquake vulnerable countries in the world, due to its location, lying on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it highly susceptible to seismic activity.







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