ISLAMABAD: A moderate earthquake struck northern Pakistan on Saturday, briefly shaking buildings in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and prompting residents to step outside.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.
“An earthquake originated on 12-04-2025 at 12:31 PST [Pakistan Standard Time],” confirmed the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) shortly after the tremors, adding that its magnitude was 5.5 on the Richter scale.
The PMD said the quake’s epicenter was located 60 kilometers northwest of Rawalpindi at a depth of 12 kilometers.
Pakistan sits on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates and is prone to seismic activity.
The country’s northern and western regions are home to mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Karakoram.
Pakistan also has some of the world’s tallest peaks, including K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth.
Among the most devastating earthquakes in Pakistan’s history was the 2005 Kashmir quake, which measured 7.6 in magnitude and killed more than 86,000 people.
In 2013, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Balochistan, killing over 800 people and flattening entire villages.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake shakes northern Pakistan with no reports of casualties or damage
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Magnitude 5.5 earthquake shakes northern Pakistan with no reports of casualties or damage
- Pakistan is in a seismically active region, on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates
- Pakistan witnessed deadly earthquakes in 2005 and 2013 that caused widespread destruction
Saudi charity KSrelief distributes 4,000 winter kits in northwest Pakistan
- The charity will distribute around 800 kits each in five districts, containing two quilts and winter clothing
- The program is part of a broader winterization initiative to help communities affected by harsh weather
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) on Friday said it had started distributing 4,000 winter kits in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to help communities affected by harsh weather.
The program is part of KSrelief’s larger winterization initiative that was launched at the Saudi embassy in Islamabad earlier in January. Under the broader initiative, 22,000 winter kits will be distributed among more than 154,000 Pakistanis across the country.
Each winter kit includes two polyester quilts, warm shawls and winter clothing. Around 800 kits will be distributed in each of the Chitral, Upper Dir, Upper Kohistan, Mansehra and Kurram districts.
"The initiative targets communities severely impacted by harsh winter conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as selected areas of Punjab and Sindh experiencing extremely low temperatures," KSrelief said in a statement.
The project is being carried out in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, provincial disaster management authorities, the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Hayat Foundation.
The statement said the initiative reaffirms KSrelief's continued commitment to alleviating winter-related hardships and improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations across Pakistan.
The Saudi charity has launched numerous projects across Pakistan in food security, health, education and disaster response in recent years, deepening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.
