KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – The German Research Centre for Geosciences reported that a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck close to Khuzdar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday, October 17. According to GFZ, the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, roughly 6 miles. Shallow seismic events tend to cause more intense surface shaking than deeper ones of similar magnitude. No casualties or damage had been reported initially. Khuzdar is situated in the central part of the province.
The earthquake’s magnitude and depth figures were provided by GFZ through its global earthquake monitoring service. This Potsdam-based center offers rapid assessments of significant seismic occurrences worldwide, which can be updated as additional data becomes available. The initial reports on Saturday’s tremor relied on GFZ’s estimates. No further details regarding the impact in Khuzdar and surrounding districts had been issued in the first reports.
Balochistan is located in an active seismic zone on the southern boundary of the Eurasian plate. The Indian and Eurasian plates converge at an oblique angle along Pakistan’s western edge. Fault systems such as the Chaman Fault and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt traverse the region. Movement along these fault lines has caused several destructive earthquakes over the last century. As a result, Pakistan’s western provinces frequently experience moderate tremors.
Balochistan has experienced numerous deadly earthquakes
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulted in the deaths of between 30,000 and 60,000 people. A magnitude 8.1 quake off the Makran coast in 1945 triggered a tsunami and caused approximately 4,000 fatalities. In 2008, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Ziarat District claimed 215 lives. In September 2013, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Awaran District—bordering Khuzdar—killed 825 individuals and injured about 700.
More recently, on October 7, 2021, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Harnai District, killing at least 42 people. The quake hit early in the morning while many residents were asleep. Around 300 people were injured, and approximately 10,000 mud homes were destroyed in Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides obstructed roads, hampering rescue efforts. Hospitals became overwhelmed, and some injured individuals were airlifted to Quetta.
Pakistan experiences multiple tremors in 2026
The earthquake on Saturday adds to the series of seismic events that have occurred across Pakistan this year. In August, a quake shook Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost. Additionally, in April, Pakistan felt a magnitude 6.2 earthquake centered in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. Due to its position spanning the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian plates, which meet beneath the country, Pakistan faces a persistent risk of earthquakes from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Moderate quakes of this magnitude can damage less resilient structures near the epicenter, especially where building standards are inadequate. Aftershocks are common following shallow earthquakes in this region. The 2021 Harnai earthquake was succeeded by two aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 4.5. Initial reports on Saturday’s quake did not specify any aftershocks. Further updates are anticipated as local authorities evaluate conditions around Khuzdar.