Earthquake jolts Islamabad, adjacent Pakistani cities — USGS

In this file photo taken on October 26, 2015, people gather outside the buildings after earthquake tremors felt in Islamabad. (Photo courtesy: AFP/File)
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  • This is the 3rd time in a month Islamabad, parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa felt tremors
  • The residents of Islamabad share their experience on Twitter, calling it a ‘massive jolt’

ISLAMABAD: A magnitude 4.4 earthquake jolted the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and nearby cities on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, with many residents of the capital describing it as a “massive jolt” on Twitter.

According to the USGS, the earthquake struck at around 12:45pm Pakistan time, with its epicenter located 25.5 kilometers away from the capital at a depth of 32.4 kilometers.

However, Sabir Khan, a senior meteorologist at the National Seismic Monitoring Center (NSMC) in Islamabad said the magnitude of the earthquake was recorded 6.3 on the Richter scale, the state-run APP news agency reported.

No casualties have so far been reported in its wake.

“Stay safe Pakistan! It was a massive jolt,” Zubair Faisal Abbasi, an Islamabad resident, wrote o Twitter.

“Quite strong shaking in Islamabad #earthquake,” said Sana Jamal, another Islamabad resident.

This was the third time in a month that the Pakistani capital experienced tremors.

On January 19, several parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces were shaken when a 5.6-magnitude quake hit Islamabad, Charsada, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, and Shabqadar, the National Seismic Monitoring Center (NSMC) said.

Tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of KP on January 5 as well.