KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – The German Research Centre for Geosciences reported a magnitude 5.6 tremor occurring close to Khuzdar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday, October 17. According to GFZ, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, approximately 6 miles. Shallow seismic events tend to cause more intense shaking at the surface compared to deeper ones of similar magnitude. No immediate reports of casualties or damage were provided. Khuzdar is situated in the central region of the province.
The magnitude and depth figures were issued by GFZ via its global earthquake monitoring platform. This Potsdam-based institution provides rapid assessments for significant seismic incidents worldwide. Such initial estimates are subject to revision as additional seismic data becomes available. Saturday’s initial reports relied on GFZ’s preliminary data, with further details on the impact in Khuzdar and surrounding districts not yet released.
Balochistan is located within a seismically active zone along the southern boundary of the Eurasian plate. The convergence of the Indian and Eurasian plates occurs obliquely along Pakistan’s western edge. Fault systems, including the Chaman Fault and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt, traverse this area. Movements along these structures have caused numerous destructive earthquakes over the past century, leading to regular moderate tremors in Pakistan’s western provinces.
Balochistan has experienced a series of devastating earthquakes historically
In 1935, the Quetta earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulted in the deaths of between 30,000 and 60,000 people. An earthquake measuring 8.1 off the Makran coast in 1945 triggered a tsunami, claiming around 4,000 lives. The 2008 quake in Ziarat District, with a magnitude of 6.4, caused 215 fatalities. In September 2013, a magnitude 7.7 quake in Awaran District, bordering Khuzdar, resulted in 825 deaths and approximately 700 injuries.
More recently, on October 7, 2021, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Harnai District. Occurring early in the morning while residents were asleep, it resulted in at least 42 deaths. About 300 individuals were injured, and roughly 10,000 mud houses were destroyed across Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides obstructed roads, hampering rescue efforts. Hospitals faced overwhelming cases, with some injured persons being airlifted to Quetta.
Pakistan has experienced multiple tremors in 2026
The earthquake on Saturday is among several seismic events in Pakistan this year. In August, a quake was felt near Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost. In April, a magnitude 6.2 tremor originating from Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region was also felt. The country’s position straddling the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet beneath its territory makes earthquakes a constant threat, from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage weaker structures near the epicentre, especially where building standards are subpar. Aftershocks are common following shallow earthquakes in this region; the 2021 Harnai quake was succeeded by two aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 4.5. Initial reports from Saturday’s event do not mention aftershocks, but further information will emerge as local authorities evaluate the situation around Khuzdar.