Tremors jolt Karachi, residents panic

KARACHI: Mild earthquake tremors were felt in various parts of Karachi, triggering panic among residents. 

According to reports, citizens rushed out of their homes, reciting prayers in fear as the tremors shook different areas of the city. 

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake measured 4.7 on the Richter scale, with a depth of 19 kilometres.

The epicentre was located 75 kilometres north of Karachi, and the tremors were recorded at 4:11 PM.

No immediate reports of damage or casualties have surfaced.

Earthquake of magnitude 7 strikes Tonga islands

Eearlier in the day, the US Geological Survey said a 7.0-magnitude quake struck offshore near Tonga, with authorities in the Pacific island nation warning of tsunami waves.

The shallow quake hit 79 kilometres (49 miles) south-southeast of the village of Pangai at 1219 GMT on Sunday.

The US tsunami warning system initially said “hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 kilometres of the epicentre along the coasts of Tonga”.

It subsequently revised the assessment, saying “the tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed”, but authorities in Tonga issued further warnings.

The Tonga Meteorological Services told residents in the risk area to evacuate inland to high ground, three-storey solid buildings or tsunami evacuation sites.

“Mariners out at sea are advised to move to deep water away from reefs or coasts and remain there until it is safe,” it said on Facebook.

The tourism ministry published an evacuation map on Facebook for the capital Nuku’alofa.

Earthquakes are common in Tonga, a low-lying archipelago home to around 100,000 people that straddles the seismic Ring of Fire.

On March 27, earthquake tremors of 5.2 intensity jolted Islamabad and its adjoining areas on Thursday.

The earthquake tremors were felt in Peshawar, Swabi, Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir and Buner areas of KP.

Met Office warns of warmer days ahead

The NSMC reported that the tremors were felt at 1:30 in the afternoon. The epicenter of the quake was the Hindukash mountains in the Afghanistan region.

People came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba. No loss is reported as per initial reports. It is to be mentioned here that the tremors relatively closer to the surface are likely to bear long-term adverse effects on the buildings.