A significant seismic event shook Pakistan on Saturday, with a magnitude 5.0 earthquake registering across the region. The tremor originated at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers, increasing the potential for subsequent aftershocks and ground instability. Such shallow quakes often cause more intense shaking at the surface compared to deeper seismic events, posing a greater risk to infrastructure and lives.
Pakistan is situated in a highly seismically active zone, a consequence of its location straddling major tectonic plate boundaries. Provinces like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan are particularly vulnerable, sitting on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate. Meanwhile, Sindh and Punjab provinces lie on the northwestern edge of the Indian plate. This complex geological setting, involving the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates, makes the country susceptible to frequent and potentially devastating earthquakes. Notably, the region experienced a 4.6 magnitude quake on October 5, underscoring the ongoing seismic activity.