As the dust has not yet been settled after the flash floods and heavy rains wreaked havoc, a powerful earthquake jolted Islamabad, Rawalpindi and a number of cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday morning, causing panic among residents already reeling from devastating cloudbursts. The earthquake was measured at 5.2 on Richter scale and its epicentre was in Hindukesh mountains in Afghanistan at a depth of 190kms.

The earthquake tremors were felt in Peshawar, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Chitral, Haripur, Malakand, Batkhela, surrounding areas. The tremors were also felt in Mansehra, Mingora, Swat, Balakot, Battagram, Kohistan, Chitral and Toghrar. The jolts were mild but strong enough to be felt across multiple cities, prompting precautionary evacuations in some localities.

Authorities have so far not reported any casualties or major damage from the tremors. However, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has urged residents to remain alert and follow safety guidelines in case of aftershocks.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)