Karachi hit by moderate earthquake, residents alarmed

A 4.7-magnitude earthquake shook Karachi and nearby areas on Monday afternoon, according to the Met Office.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the quake hit at 4:11 pm, with its epicentre 75 kilometres north of Karachi at a depth of 19 kilometres.

However no damage or injuries were reported, but the residents panicked after the tremors.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was of magnitude 4.6, and the earthquake's epicentre was 65km east-southeast of Uthal in Balochistan, with a depth of 10 kilometres. 

It must be noted that the last earthquake to hit Karachi was on June 3, 2024, when a 3.2-magnitude tremor jolted parts of the city, including Clifton, according to PMD.

The epicentre was 15 kilometres northeast of Karachi at a depth of 22km.

This quake followed a 2.3-magnitude quake that struck areas like Gadap Town, Kathor, and the Malir district on May 2, with its epicentre 38 kilometres northeast of Malir at a depth of 84km.

Earlier, on April 24, the Malir district experienced a 3.2-magnitude tremor.

Natural disasters such as earthquakes are not uncommon in Pakistan, as the country is situated on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate.

Recent earthquakes underscore the importance of disaster preparedness and mitigation measures.