Shaun
An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale struck Pakistan early Saturday (May 10) at 1:44 am (IST), according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor’s epicentre was located at latitude 29.67°N and longitude 66.10°E, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Series of tremors in recent weeks
This marks the fourth earthquake to hit Pakistan in recent weeks. On May 5, a 4.2-magnitude quake shook Pakistan at 4:00 pm IST, with tremors originating near the Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, close to the Afghanistan border. Earlier the same day, a 4.2-magnitude earthquake was reported in Afghanistan at 12:35 pm IST.
On April 30, a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 9:58 pm, with an epicentre at 31.08°N and 68.84°E, and a depth of 50 km. The strongest of the recent quakes occurred on April 12, measuring 5.8 on the Richter Scale at a shallow depth of 10 km—raising concerns of potential aftershocks.
Pakistan’s seismic risk
Pakistan sits atop several major fault lines, making it one of the world’s most seismically active countries. The nation is located at the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, which increases the likelihood of frequent and powerful earthquakes. Regions such as Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan are especially vulnerable due to their position on the southern edge of the Eurasian Plate, while Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir lie on the Indian Plate.
