Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolts Islamabad and Northern Pakistan

WEB DESK: A powerful earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region early on Saturday morning, sending residents across Islamabad and northern Pakistan rushing into the streets in panic as buildings swayed and windows rattled.

The quake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, occurred at approximately 7:54am local time, with its epicentre located roughly 47 kilometres from Garam Chashma in the mountainous Hindu Kush area of Afghanistan.

Tremors were felt across a wide region, including parts of neighbouring Afghanistan, India, and Tajikistan.

Preliminary data from the Android Earthquake Alerts System indicated that the shaking lasted for several seconds, causing visible movement in high-rise buildings in the capital and prompting immediate evacuations in residential areas.