5.4 Quake Jolts KP, Islamabad and Punjab Cities

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Punjab on Monday, sending tremors across several major cities and prompting emergency authorities to issue public safety advisories. The quake was widely felt in urban centres as well as northern districts, creating immediate concern among residents.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department and Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the earthquake was recorded at 3:22pm. Its epicentre was reported in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, while the depth was measured at 215 kilometres.

The tremors were felt in Peshawar, Islamabad, Mansehra, Swat, Battagram, Abbottabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, Multan and the Potohar region. Reports from affected areas indicated that people rushed out of homes, offices and commercial buildings as a precaution.

Emergency services responded by asking citizens to remain alert and contact official helplines if any injuries, structural damage or other urgent situations were observed. Rescue 1122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advised the public to immediately call its helpline in case of any emergency linked to the tremors.

Punjab’s disaster management authorities said no reports of casualties or property damage had been received in the province at the time of the update. Citizens were also advised to contact the PDMA Punjab helpline at 1129 for earthquake-related assistance or information.

Although the quake did not immediately appear to have caused major destruction, its impact was felt across a broad area because of the depth and location of the seismic activity. Earthquakes originating in the Hindu Kush region are often felt across northern Pakistan and parts of Punjab due to the region’s complex fault systems.

Pakistan lies at the intersection of major tectonic plates, including the Arabian, Eurasian and Indian plates. This geography creates multiple seismic zones across the country, making earthquakes a recurring natural hazard, particularly in the north and northwest.

The latest tremors come after earlier earthquakes this year that also affected Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In April, a 5.7-magnitude quake jolted parts of Islamabad and KP, while another tremor linked to the Hindu Kush region was also felt during the same month.

For Pakistan, the incident is another reminder of the need for earthquake preparedness, public awareness and stricter building safety standards. Even moderate tremors can trigger panic and expose structural weaknesses in older buildings, schools, hospitals and densely populated neighbourhoods.

Authorities are expected to continue monitoring aftershocks and collecting reports from district administrations. The immediate priority will be to confirm whether any remote areas experienced damage and to ensure that emergency response teams remain ready if further seismic activity is reported.