ISLAMABAD: A moderate magnitude earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 has jolted the southwestern Kot Addu district of Pakistan’s Punjab province here on Sunday night.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake hit on Sunday night, April 23rd, 2023, at 9:27 pm local time, with a depth of 10 km.
The tremor was also reported by India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) and the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, both of which confirmed the magnitude to be 4.7. The epicenter of the quake was 13 km southwest of Kot Addu.
Although the earthquake was not powerful enough to cause significant damage, it was felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. Shallow earthquakes like this one are often felt more strongly than deeper ones, as they are closer to the surface.
Earthquake felts in parts of Punjab
Residents of Kot Addu reported feeling light shaking. Meanwhile, people in nearby cities such as Muzaffargarh, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Shujaabad, Taunsa, and Layyah also felt the tremor.
The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the earthquake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations or as other agencies issue their reports.
While the earthquake is not expected to cause any significant damage, it serves as a reminder that earthquakes are natural occurrences that can strike at any time.
Residents of the affected areas are advised to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions in case of any aftershocks.
