A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck parts of Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan on Saturday, prompting residents to rush out of their homes. The epicenter was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake at a magnitude of 6.1.
Tremors were felt in major Pakistani cities including Islamabad, as well as in the eastern province of Punjab and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan. The shaking was also experienced in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Emergency services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa placed district administrations on alert. Initial assessments by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority indicated no reports of casualties or damage.
Pakistan is situated in an active seismic zone and experiences frequent earthquakes. A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake in 2005 resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities in Pakistan and Kashmir. Afghanistan has also been impacted by numerous quakes in recent years, leading to thousands of deaths. No immediate statement regarding Saturday's event was released by Afghan officials.