KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – A magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred near Khuzdar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday, October 17, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The GFZ reported the quake was shallow, at a depth of 10 kilometres, or about 6 miles. Shallow tremors tend to cause stronger shaking at the surface compared to deeper ones of similar size. Early reports did not mention any casualties or damage. Khuzdar is located in the central part of the province.
The GFZ provided the magnitude and depth data through its global earthquake monitoring service. This centre, based in Potsdam, offers quick estimates of major seismic events worldwide. These initial figures can be revised as more data is collected. The early reports on Saturday’s tremor relied on the GFZ estimate. No details about the quake’s effects on Khuzdar and nearby districts have been released yet.
Balochistan is situated in an active seismic zone on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate. The Indian and Eurasian plates converge obliquely along Pakistan’s western border. The region is crossed by fault systems such as the Chaman Fault and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt. Movements along these faults have caused many destructive earthquakes over the past century. Pakistan’s western provinces frequently experience moderate tremors as a result.
Balochistan has experienced numerous deadly earthquakes
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulted in 30,000 to 60,000 deaths. In 1945, a magnitude 8.1 quake off the Makran coast triggered a tsunami, killing about 4,000 people. In 2008, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Ziarat District caused 215 fatalities. In September 2013, a magnitude 7.7 quake in Awaran District, bordering Khuzdar, killed 825 and injured around 700.
More recently, a magnitude 5.9 quake struck Harnai District on October 7, 2021. It happened early in the morning while many residents were sleeping. The quake killed at least 42 people. Around 300 were injured. Nearly 10,000 mud homes were destroyed in Harnai and the Shahrag area. Landslides blocked roads and hampered rescue efforts. Hospitals were overwhelmed. Some injured people were airlifted to Quetta.
Pakistan faces multiple tremors in 2026
Saturday’s earthquake is part of a series of seismic events across Pakistan this year. In August, a quake shook Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost. In April, the country experienced a magnitude 6.2 earthquake centered in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region. Pakistan sits on the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet beneath the country. This makes earthquakes a constant threat, from the northern mountains to the southwestern coast.
Moderate earthquakes like this can damage weaker structures near the epicenter, especially where building standards are low. Aftershocks often follow shallow quakes in the region. The 2021 Harnai quake was followed by two aftershocks of magnitude 4.6 and 4.5. Saturday’s initial reports did not mention aftershocks. More information is expected as local authorities evaluate conditions around Khuzdar.