Strong quake jolts KP, Punjab cities

PESHAWAR: An earthquake of severe intensity jolted several cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces here Wednesday noon at around 15:40 hours.

According to Meteorological Center, the intensity of the earthquake on richter scale has been measured as 6.4. This tremor was felt in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Chitral, Abbottabad, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Faisalabad.

The epicenter of the earthquake lied in Hindukush range, bordering region of Afghanistan and Tajikistan in depth of 97 kilometer. This is the second earthquake in same day as the earlier one was felt in Wednesday morning at around 8:15 am with intensity of 5.5 on richter scale.

Severe tremor spread fear among people who ran for safety by coming out of homes, offices and shops amid recitation of holy verses. The epicenter of morning quake was near Bannu with a depth of 12 kilometer. The tremor also caused stampede at a school causing minor injuries to 11 students in Bannu district.