The quake’s epicentre was 8km southeast of Rawalpindi with a depth of 17 kilometres.
Strong Earthquake Shakes Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Surrounding Regions. ISLAMABAD: Tremors were felt in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Saturday as people rushed out of their homes.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said the quake had a magnitude of 4.8 and struck at 10:48 pm.
The epicentre of the quake was 8 km southeast of Rawalpindi and its depth was 17 km.
The twin cities were gripped by panic and the tremors lasted for several seconds.
Islamabad has a population of 2.4 million, according to the 2023 census. It added that the country’s population has crossed 240 million and the growth rate is 2.55%.
In January, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan, triggering two small tsunamis in the area but causing no damage.