Massive earthquake jolts parts of country

A powerful earthquake jolted Islamabad, Peshawar, and several other cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir on Tuesday evening, Aaj News reported.

Tremors were also felt in Charsadda, Peshawar, Batgaram, Swabi, Swat, and other cities of northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Several cities of Punjab, including Lahore, also felt tremors.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said that a 6.8 magnitude earthquake was reported in the Hindu Kush region at a depth of 180 kilometres.

Separately, the USGS estimated the magnitude at 6.5, according to preliminary data. The USGS reported that the epicenter was approximately 40 kilometers south-southeast of Jurm, an Afghan town near the Pakistani and Tajikistan borders.

Videos posted on social media showed panic-stricken people rushing out of homes and buildings.

Initial reports said the tremors were felt in India and other countries of the region as well.

The earthquake comes weeks after a catastrophic 7.8-magnitude quake flattened entire cities, killing more than 50,000 people across southeastern Turkiye and parts of war-torn Syria.

Millions were displaced and last week’s flash floods in the region only added to the misery.