5.2-Magnitude Tremor Rocks Pakistan
Epicentre at 135 km depth, experts warn of high seismic risk in Pakistan and neighboring regions.
ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck Pakistan in the early hours of Friday, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported. The tremor occurred at 3:09 a.m. IST, with its epicentre located at a depth of 135 km.
“EQ of M: 5.2, On: 21/11/2025 03:09:12 IST, Lat: 36.12 N, Long: 71.51 E, Depth: 135 Km, Location: Pakistan,” the NCS confirmed on X. Further details about any potential damage are awaited.
Seismologists note that shallow earthquakes tend to be more dangerous than deeper ones, as seismic waves have a shorter distance to the surface, causing stronger shaking and potentially greater damage and casualties.
Pakistan, along with Afghanistan and northern India, lies in one of the world’s most seismically active zones where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The region frequently experiences moderate to strong earthquakes, often felt across borders.
Several major fault lines traverse Pakistan, making it highly vulnerable to violent earthquakes. Provinces such as Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan sit on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate, while Sindh and Punjab are on the northwestern edge of the Indian plate. Balochistan, in particular, is close to the active boundary between the Arabian and Eurasian plates.
Even areas like Punjab and Sindh, though comparatively less active, remain at risk due to their tectonic location.
