Islamabad, 27 March (H.S.):

Residents in southwestern Pakistan fled their homes in alarm after a moderate earthquake rattled parts of Balochistan province late on Thursday night. The tremor, which measured 4.2 on the Richter scale, struck the Zhoob district and its surrounding areas, setting off fear among local communities. People rushed outdoors in the dark, with many reciting verses from the Quran as they waited for the shaking to subside.

Preliminary reports from the National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Islamabad indicate that the quake’s epicentre lay about 110 kilometres southeast of Zhoob, at a depth of roughly 12 kilometres. The centre also confirmed that no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property have been received from any part of the Zhoob region. Local administration and rescue agencies are closely monitoring the situation, with emergency teams on standby in case of aftershocks or structural damage.

Earlier on Thursday morning, another noticeable tremor shook Balochistan when a 4.6‑magnitude quake hit the region, according to the same monitoring centre. That quake was centred approximately 55 kilometres north of Barkhan, at a depth of nearly 92 kilometres beneath the surface. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre said residents in Barkhan felt strong jolts, but initial assessments indicated no loss of life or major material damage.

The repeated quakes have added to anxiety in a province already vulnerable to seismic activity, but local authorities have so far emphasized that the recent tremors, while unsettling, appear to have caused no serious harm.

Residents in Zhoob and nearby districts are being advised to remain alert and to follow basic safety protocols in case of further shaking over the coming hours.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar