Strong earthquake shakes Pakistan and Afghanistan as residents flee their homes

Strong earthquake shakes Pakistan and Afghanistan as residents flee their homes The tremors sent panicked residents across Pakistan fleeing their homes - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A powerful earthquake, measured at magnitude 5.9 by Pakistan's Meteorological Department and 6.1 by the US Geological Survey, struck parts of Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan on Saturday. The tremors sent panicked residents across Pakistan fleeing their homes, though authorities reported no immediate damage or casualties. The epicentre of the seismic event was located in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region. Shaking was widely felt across Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad, the eastern province of Punjab, and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan. Pakistan-administered Kashmir also experienced the tremors. Emergency services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa swiftly placed district administrations on alert following the quake. Anwar Shahzad, a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, confirmed that initial assessments had not revealed any reports of casualties or structural damage. In Afghanistan, the quake jolted Kabul and other parts of the country, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said. Pakistan lies along an active seismic zone and is frequently affected by earthquakes. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake in 2005 killed tens of thousands of people in Pakistan and Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region divided between Pakistan and India and claimed by both countries. Afghanistan has also suffered repeated quakes in recent years that have claimed thousands of lives. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments