Magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits parts of KP, AJK; no casualties reported

An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday, sparking panic among residents, though no casualties or damages have been reported so far.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre — Islamabad, the earthquake's epicentre was border region of Afghanistan and Tajikistan at a depth of 212 kilometres.

Earthquake tremors were felt in Peshawar, North Waziristan, Lower Dir, Malakand, AJK’s Neelum Valley and its suburban areas. Residents came out of their homes and offices in panic.

It was the second earthquake in a month in KP as a 5.3-magnitude quake shook several areas of the province two weeks ago, including Peshawar, Mohmand, Shabqadar, Attock, Swat, Shangla, Buner, and Abbottabad.

Meanwhile, in September, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake had jolted the federal capital and parts of Punjab and KP.

Earthquakes are not uncommon in Pakistan, as the country is situated on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate.