Tremors felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and parts of AJK

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake jolted Islamabad, Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas on Saturday night, however, no casualty or damage was reported.

The tremors were also felt in Murree and some parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) region, including Balouch, Dhirkot and its adjoining areas.

The magnitude of the quake was recorded at 4.8, said the Pakistan Meteorological Department's Seismological Centre in a statement.

The epicentre of the quake was around eight kilometres southeast of Rawalpindi and its depth was reported at 17 kilometres, it added.

In November last year, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake shook the federal capital, Islamabad, and several areas of neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, a region known for frequent seismic activity.

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.