Karachi sees 36th tremor since June 1 as seismic activity spreads

KARACHI/QUETTA: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday said that Karachi experienced its 36th minor earthquakes amidst a swarm of earthquakes since June 1 due to the activation of the Landhi fault line.

According to the PMD, the residents of the port city felt the latest tremor, measuring 2.6 on the Richter scale, at 1:45am today, with its epicentre located 8 kilometres southeast of Malir at a depth of 10km. 

PMD officials have reassured the public that all 36 earthquakes in this recent swarm have been minor.

On the same day, another quake was recorded near Quetta, where residents felt tremors registering 2.8 in magnitude. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre reported this earthquake had a depth of 23 km, originating from 75 km northeast of Quetta. 

Just a day earlier, Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was also affected by a mild earthquake measured at 4.7. This tremor was linked to seismic activity in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountain range, occurring at a depth of 211 km, showcasing the widespread seismic activity affecting various parts of Pakistan.

Around a month ago, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake hit Islamabad and parts of KP, including Mardan, Swat, Nowshera, Swabi, and North Waziristan. Its epicentre was also located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan at a depth of 230km.

Before that, two more significant quakes impacted KP, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Punjab, and parts of Afghanistan.

On April 12, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck several cities across northern Punjab, KP, and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, at a reported depth of 12km.

Cities in Punjab like Attock and Chakwal, and in KP such as Peshawar, Mardan, Mohmand, Swabi, Nowshera, Lakki Marwat, Lower Dir, Malakand, and Shabqadar, all reported experiencing the tremors.

Days later, on April 16, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake again hit several areas of KP, AJK, Punjab, and parts of Afghanistan.

Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Pakistan, a country situated on the active boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Indian plate's continuous northward push into the Eurasian plate makes large parts of South Asia seismically active.