KPK: A mild earthquake in Pakistan today measuring 3.5 magnitude struck near Balakot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday at 13:12 PST, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). This marks the second earthquake in Pakistan within 48 hours, raising concerns over rising seismic activity across the region.
The PMD confirmed that the quake’s epicenter was located at 34.55°N, 73.32°E, with a shallow depth of 11 kilometers, a factor that often determines whether a tremor is widely felt. However, officials said no felt reports were received from residents in Balakot or surrounding areas.
The latest tremor follows another minor earthquake in Balochistan, recorded just 13 hours earlier on November 29 at 23:46 PST. That quake measured 3.0 magnitude and struck 40 kilometers southwest of Sibi at a depth of 15 kilometers. Like the Balakot tremor, the Sibi earthquake also went unfelt despite being registered by PMD sensors.
Earlier this month, on November 1, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake near Chitral was recorded at a depth of 50 kilometers. No damage or casualties were reported, but experts note that Pakistan has experienced a noticeable uptick in low-intensity quakes throughout the month.
According to seismologists, the three recent earthquakes — occurring between 10 and 50 kilometers deep — fall within the typical range for regional seismic movement. Shallow quakes can produce strong surface shaking, but minor ones often pass unnoticed by residents.
Pakistan’s location at a major tectonic collision zone makes it highly vulnerable to frequent earthquakes. The Indian tectonic plate continuously pushes northward into the Eurasian plate, creating immense geological stress and shaping the Himalayan mountain range. This collision generates seismic activity across KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, and Balochistan.
Experts explain that earthquakes occur when accumulated stress along tectonic boundaries is suddenly released, sending seismic waves through the Earth’s crust. While Sunday’s quake caused no damage, PMD continues to monitor the region amid increased seismic patterns.
