KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – On Saturday, October 17, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred near Khuzdar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The GFZ indicated that the tremor was shallow, with a depth of 10 kilometres, approximately 6 miles. Shallow seismic events tend to generate more intense shaking at the surface compared to deeper ones of similar magnitude. Initial reports did not mention any casualties or destruction. Khuzdar is situated in the central region of the province.
The magnitude and depth data were provided by the GFZ through its global earthquake monitoring platform. This Potsdam-based institution regularly issues rapid assessments for significant seismic events worldwide. Such preliminary information may be revised as additional seismic data becomes available. The initial reports on Saturday’s quake relied solely on the GFZ’s estimate. Details concerning the impact on Khuzdar and nearby districts have not yet been released.
Balochistan is situated in a seismically active zone along the southern boundary of the Eurasian plate. The Indian and Eurasian plates converge at an oblique angle along Pakistan’s western border. Fault systems, including the Chaman Fault and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt, traverse the region. Movements along these structures have caused several destructive earthquakes over the past century. As a result, the western provinces of Pakistan frequently experience moderate tremors.
Balochistan has experienced numerous deadly earthquakes
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, measuring 7.7 in magnitude, resulted in the deaths of between 30,000 and 60,000 individuals. A 1945 earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 off the Makran coast triggered a tsunami and claimed roughly 4,000 lives. In 2008, a magnitude 6.4 quake in Ziarat District caused 215 fatalities. Then, in September 2013, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Awaran District, bordering Khuzdar, led to 825 deaths and about 700 injuries.
More recently, on October 7, 2021, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Harnai District. The quake struck early in the morning while many residents were still asleep, resulting in at least 42 deaths. Approximately 300 people were injured, and around 10,000 mud homes were destroyed in Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides obstructed roads, hampering rescue efforts. Hospitals were overwhelmed, and some injured individuals were airlifted to Quetta.
Pakistan has experienced multiple tremors in 2026
The earthquake on Saturday adds to the series of seismic events recorded across Pakistan this year. In August, a quake shook Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost. In April, Pakistan experienced a magnitude 6.2 earthquake centered in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. As Pakistan lies along the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet beneath the country, seismic activity is a common hazard, affecting areas from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Moderate earthquakes of this magnitude can cause damage to less resilient structures near the epicenter, especially in areas with low construction standards. Aftershocks tend to follow shallow earthquakes in this region. For instance, the 2021 Harnai quake was followed by two aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 4.5. The initial reports on Saturday’s earthquake did not specify any aftershocks, but further details will likely emerge as local authorities evaluate the situation around Khuzdar.