6.4 magnitude earthquake jolts various cities

A moderate earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale jolted many parts of Pakistan Monday afternoon. According to Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Dr Ghulam Rasul, earlier it was recorded 6.7 but after collecting its magnitude from all the cities across the country it was measured 6.4 on the Richter scale. He said the epicenter of earthquake was at Afghanistan-Tajikistan Border and measuring at the depth of 212 kilometer.

Explaining the phenomena, Rasul said when an Indian Plate and Eurasian plate interact with each other and release energy causing seismic waves. "Such kind of moderate earthquake are very common in Hindu Kush Range and earthquake of magnitude 5 and above measuring at the depth of more than 100 km are not devastating," Rasul added. The vicinity of the epicentre was not populated and therefore no loss of lives were reported in the area.

"An earthquake jolted different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 6.0 magnitude with epicentre in Hindu Kush Mountains range, Afghanistan, having coordinates of 36.52 N and 71.30 E," a spokesperson at the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed. PDMA are in close co-ordination with all district administrations.

According to the United States Geological Survey however, the earthquake measured 5.7 at the epicentre.