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 centered at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, approximately 6 miles beneath the surface. Shallow earthquakes like this can produce more intense shaking at ground level than deeper ones of comparable magnitude. Initial reports did not specify any casualties or damages. Khuzdar is situated in the central region of the province.
The figures for magnitude and depth were provided by the GFZ through its global earthquake monitoring system. This centre, based in Potsdam, routinely issues rapid assessments for significant seismic events worldwide. Such preliminary estimates are subject to revision as additional seismic data becomes available. The initial reports on Saturday’s tremor relied on the GFZ’s data, with further details on the quake’s impact in Khuzdar and surrounding districts not yet released.
Balochistan is part of a seismically active zone located along the southern edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate. The convergence of the Indian and Eurasian plates occurs at an oblique angle along Pakistan’s western border. Fault systems, including the Chaman Fault and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt, traverse this region. Movement along these faults has historically caused several devastating earthquakes over the past century. As a result, Pakistan’s western provinces frequently experience moderate tremors.
Long history of destructive earthquakes in Balochistan
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulted in the loss of between 30,000 and 60,000 lives. In 1945, an 8.1 magnitude quake off the Makran coast triggered a tsunami that claimed approximately 4,000 lives. The Ziarat District experienced a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in 2008, which caused 215 fatalities. Additionally, in September 2013, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Awaran District, bordering Khuzdar, resulting in 825 deaths and about 700 injuries.
More recently, on October 7, 2021, a magnitude 5.9 tremor hit Harnai District in the early hours while many residents were asleep, resulting in at least 42 fatalities. Around 300 people were injured, and approximately 10,000 mud houses were destroyed across Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides caused road blockages, hampering rescue efforts. Hospitals became overwhelmed, and some of the injured were airlifted to Quetta for treatment.
Seismic activity persists across Pakistan in 2026
The earthquake on Saturday adds to the series of seismic events experienced throughout Pakistan this year. In August, a quake was felt near Sost in Gilgit-Baltistan. Earlier in April, Pakistan experienced a magnitude 6.2 earthquake originating in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. The country sits along the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet beneath its territory, making earthquakes a common hazard from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Moderate earthquakes of this magnitude can cause damage to weaker structures near the epicenter, especially where construction standards are not strictly enforced. Aftershocks are common following shallow seismic events in this region. The 2021 Harnai earthquake was followed by two aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 4.5. Initial reports on Saturday’s quake did not mention any aftershocks, but further information is anticipated as local authorities evaluate the situation around Khuzdar.