KHUZDAR, Pakistan / AsiaWire.IO / – On Saturday, October 17, a seismic event measuring 5.6 in magnitude struck Pakistan’s Balochistan province, with its epicenter near the city of Khuzdar. The German Research Centre for Geosciences provided details about the tremor, indicating it occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, or 6 miles. Earthquakes at such shallow depths often produce stronger shaking on the surface than deeper ones of similar strength. No initial reports included information about casualties or damage.
Based in Potsdam, Germany, the GFZ offers quick estimates of major earthquakes worldwide. Its first assessments of magnitude and depth are subject to updates as more seismic data becomes available. The figures released on Saturday formed the basis for early reports concerning this event. Khuzdar is situated centrally in Balochistan, which is the largest province by area in Pakistan. Authorities had yet to release detailed reports on the quake’s impact in initial communications.
Balochistan lies along a seismically active zone along the southern boundary of the Eurasian plate. The Indian plate converges at an oblique angle with the Eurasian plate along Pakistan’s western border. The region is traversed by significant fault systems, including the Chaman Fault, a left-lateral strike-slip fault, and the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt. Tension along these structures has historically caused some of the deadliest earthquakes in Pakistan’s history.
Fault systems contribute to Balochistan’s vulnerability to strong seismic events
The 1935 Quetta earthquake, which registered 7.7, resulted in an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 fatalities. A decade later, a magnitude 8.1 quake off the Makran coast triggered a tsunami that claimed about 4,000 lives. The 2008 Ziarat earthquake, measuring 6.4, caused 215 deaths. In 2013, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake centered in Awaran District, adjacent to Khuzdar, resulted in 825 deaths and approximately 700 injuries.
Another significant quake, a magnitude 5.9 event, struck Harnai District on October 7, 2021. Occurring early in the morning, it caused at least 42 fatalities, many women and children among them. The earthquake injured around 300 people and destroyed roughly 10,000 mud homes. Satellite imagery revealed over 100 landslides post-quake, which blocked roads and hindered rescue efforts.
Recent seismic activity underscores ongoing earthquake risks
In 2026, Pakistan experienced multiple notable tremors. In August, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Gilgit-Baltistan near Sost, while in April, a magnitude 6.2 quake centered in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush shook parts of Pakistan. The northern regions of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rest on the Eurasian plate, whereas Sindh and Punjab are situated on the Indian plate. This geographic positioning makes the country susceptible to earthquakes originating from its northern mountain ranges to the southwestern coast.
Moderate earthquakes within the 5 to 6 magnitude range can cause damage to less resilient structures near the epicenter. Shallow seismic events are often followed by aftershocks, as observed after the Harnai quake in 2021, which experienced aftershocks of magnitude 4.6 and 4.5. Initial reports from Saturday’s earthquake did not mention any aftershocks, but further information is expected as local authorities evaluate conditions around Khuzdar.