KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – A seismic event measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale impacted the vicinity of Khuzdar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday, October 17, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The GFZ reported that the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, or roughly 6 miles. Such shallow earthquakes tend to cause more intense shaking at the surface compared to deeper ones of similar magnitude. No initial reports indicated casualties or structural damage. Khuzdar is situated centrally within the province.
The global earthquake monitoring service of the GFZ provided the magnitude and depth figures. This Potsdam-based centre specializes in rapid assessments of major seismic events worldwide. These early estimates are subject to revision as additional seismic data becomes available. The initial information on Saturday’s tremor relied on the GFZ’s figures. Details regarding the quake’s impact on Khuzdar and neighboring districts had not been released in the initial reports.
Balochistan is located in a seismically active 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. Movements along these faults have historically caused numerous destructive earthquakes over the past century. Pakistan’s western provinces frequently experience moderate tremors as a result.
Balochistan’s History of Severe Earthquakes
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulted in the deaths of between 30,000 and 60,000 people. An 8.1 magnitude quake off the Makran coast in 1945 triggered a tsunami and claimed approximately 4,000 lives. In 2008, a magnitude 6.4 quake in Ziarat District caused 215 fatalities. The September 2013 event, a magnitude 7.7 quake in Awaran District bordering Khuzdar, resulted in 825 deaths and about 700 injuries.
More recently, on October 7, 2021, a magnitude 5.9 tremor struck Harnai District. Striking early morning hours while many residents were asleep, it caused at least 42 deaths. Approximately 300 people were injured, and around 10,000 mud homes were destroyed across Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides impeded roads and hampered rescue efforts. Hospitals became overwhelmed, and some injured individuals were evacuated by air to Quetta.
Seismic Activity Continues in Pakistan in 2026
Saturday’s quake is part of a series of seismic events recorded across Pakistan this year. In August, a quake struck Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost. Earlier in April, the country experienced a magnitude 6.2 earthquake originating from Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. Due to Pakistan’s position spanning the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian plates, seismic activity remains a persistent hazard from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Earthquakes of this magnitude can cause damage to fragile structures near the epicentre, especially where building standards are subpar. Aftershocks are common following shallow earthquakes in this region. The 2021 Harnai event was followed by two aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 4.5. The initial reports on Saturday’s quake did not specify any aftershocks. Further updates are anticipated as local authorities evaluate the situation around Khuzdar.