Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rattles northern Pakistan

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted the northern regions of Pakistan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday morning, triggering panic but resulting in no immediate reports of casualties.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the tremors were recorded at 9:53 am, at latitude 36.71° north and longitude 74.44° east..

Its epicenter was located in northwestern Kashmir, approximately 84 kilometres northeast of Gilgit. The quake was relatively shallow at 12 km depth, which often increases the intensity of the shaking felt at the surface.

Tremors were felt across a wide belt of the mountainous north, including Gilgit and Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Balakot and Pattan areas.

Local residents reported a few seconds of strong vibrations, leading many to rush out of buildings.

Initial reports suggested that no significant damage happened to infrastructure. Rescue and relief agencies remain on high alert to monitor for potential aftershocks.