A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck various parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning (April 19, 2025), sending shockwaves through more than 20 cities and towns, and sparking widespread panic among residents. The tremor, which hit at 11:47am, is the second earthquake to shake the region in a single week, further intensifying public anxiety.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the epicentre was located near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, with coordinates latitude 36.21 N and longitude 71.34 E, at a depth of 94 kilometres.
Tremors were strongly felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, and several other cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Areas including Lower Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Nowshera, Chitral, Swabi, Gilgit, Mardan, and Swat experienced noticeable shaking. In Punjab, tremors were reported from Chiniot, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, and Bhalwal. The Athmuqam area of Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir also recorded shocks.
Terrified citizens in many areas ran from their homes and workplaces as buildings swayed and windows rattled.
“It was brief but a powerful one. I felt the entire bed shake and had to quickly run out of our house with my family,” said Shahjahan Khurram, a resident of Bahria Enclave, Islamabad.
“We felt a single jolt, which was intense but brief. As soon as the tremor was felt, people rushed out of the office in panic,” shared Ayesha Rehman, an office worker in Blue Area, Islamabad.
Despite the intensity of the quake, no casualties or major structural damage were reported as of the latest updates, though authorities are continuing to monitor the situation.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a slightly lower magnitude of 5.7, with the epicentre located 53 kilometres south-southwest of Ashkasham, Afghanistan, close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Emergency services and disaster management authorities have advised the public to remain alert and prepared for potential aftershocks. This series of quakes is a reminder of the region’s high seismic activity, particularly along the Hindu Kush fault system.
