5.5-magnitude earthquake hits parts of Pakistan

An earthquake measuring 5.5 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted parts of Pakistan on Saturday afternoon, Pakistan's National Seismic Monitoring Center said.

No immediate loss of life or damage of property has been reported yet.

The epicenter was determined in Pattan area, about 75 km northeast of Mansehra district of the country's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a focal depth of 12 km, the seismic center said.

Strong tremors were felt in Pakistani capital of Islamabad and in the northwest areas of the country, including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Swat, Gilgit and Mansehra, and some parts of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir at 1:04 p.m. local time.

The tremors created panic as people rushed to outdoor area.

Pakistan is among the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. The country lies in the collision zone of the India tectonic plate to the south and the Eurasian plate to the north.

On Oct. 26 last year, an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude struck parts of Pakistan, killing at least 280, injuring over 1,900 others and damaging over 100,000 houses and nearly 1,500 schools.

In October 2005, a high intensity earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude on the Richter scale hit parts of the country, causing massive destruction and killing over 80,000 people, while hundreds of thousands others were left homeless.

Source : XINHUA