6 killed in central Afghanistan as strong earthquake shakes region, including Pakistan
Turkey hit with 6.1 magnitude earthquake. PHOTO: PIXABAY
At least six people were killed in a house collapse in central Afghanistan when a powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region on Friday, shaking different parts of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
The six were killed when a house collapsed in Bagrami district, in central Kabul Province, according to a statement from the Afghanistan Information Ministry. One person also remains missing.
The quake occurred at a depth of 181 kilometers (112 miles) at 1612GMT, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
The quake was initially measured at 5.9 magnitude and later downgraded to 5.8.
The tremor was felt in the Afghan capital of Kabul, according to a local, Obaidullah Baheer, who wrote on US social media company X.
The quake was also felt in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Tremors were also felt in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department initially measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.2.
A statement from the department said the quake occurred at 9:13pm at a depth of 190 kilometres with the epicentre in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region.
It added that tremors were felt in Islamabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Swat, Shangla and other areas.
🚨 A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region Friday evening, the PMD says. Tremors felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Swat and nearby areas. No damage reported yet. pic.twitter.com/adNpnqeUPc
Severe tremors were felt in the federal capital, prompting the Islamabad Police to take immediate precautionary measures.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi directed all officers to assess the situation in their respective areas. He instructed that any incidents requiring assistance be responded to immediately.
The IGP also ordered all officers to submit situation reports from their jurisdictions without delay.
Rawalpindi Rescue 1122 officials said that no emergency or casualties have been reported in the city following the earthquake.
A statement from K-P Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said: "Earthquake tremors were felt in various districts of K-P, including Peshawar, however, Rescue 1122 control has not received any calls from the public yet."
Meanwhile, the Punjab’s Disaster Management Authority reported that no loss of life or property has been recorded in Punjab following the earthquake.
Tremors were felt in Lahore, Mianwali, Jhang, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, the Potohar region, Sargodha, and other districts across the province, the PDMA spokesperson said.
The PDMA said relevant authorities were conducting inspections of government and public buildings to assess any potential damage. The provincial control room and district emergency operation centres across Punjab remain operational 24/7 to respond to any incidents.
The authority advised the public to report any earthquake-related damages through its helpline at 1129.
Earlier in the day, an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 also struck the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said.
Last month, a moderate earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale jolted Balochistan's Khuzdar district and surrounding areas, though no casualties or damage were reported.
In February, an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Swat, Peshawar, Chitral, and other cities across Pakistan.
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This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.