Pakistan experienced a significant seismic event on Saturday as an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale struck the nation. The tremor’s shallow depth of just 10 kilometers was noted as a potential factor for aftershocks, increasing the risk of further seismic activity.
This recent quake occurred at latitude 31.19 N and longitude 71.04 E. Authorities highlighted that shallow earthquakes can be more hazardous than deeper ones because their seismic waves have less distance to travel, leading to more intense ground shaking and a higher potential for structural damage and casualties.
Pakistan’s geographical location places it in a highly seismically active zone. The country sits at the crossroads of major fault lines, a consequence of tectonic plate collisions. Provinces like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan are situated on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate, while Sindh and Punjab lie on the northwestern edge of the Indian plate. This geological setup makes Pakistan particularly prone to strong earthquakes.
Balochistan, in particular, is situated close to the dynamic boundary between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Other regions, including Punjab and even Sindh to a lesser extent, face seismic risks due to their proximity to these active boundaries. The memory of the devastating 1945 Balochistan earthquake, a magnitude 8.1 event, serves as a stark reminder of the country’s vulnerability to powerful seismic forces.
