5.2-magnitude earthquake hits parts of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit parts of northwestern and northern Pakistan on Sunday morning, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said.

According to the information available at PMD website, the earthquake jolted the country's northwester province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some areas in the northern region at about 3:13 a. m. local time.

The tremors created panic among the people who were busy in preparing for morning prayer, however, no loss of life or property was reported from any area yet.

Local media reports said that the earthquake was felt in Chitral, Swat, Malakand and Lower Dir areas of the province.

The epicenter of the earthquake was determined some 95 km NW of Chitral at a focal depth of 211 km in mount Hindu Kush, a mountainous region along Pakistan-Afghanistan border located at about 214 km northwest of Islamabad.

Pakistan is among the most earthquake-prone regions of the world with high vulnerability to earthquakes. In Oct. 2005, a high intensity quake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Pakistan, causing large scale destruction and killing over 80,000 people besides leaving millions others homeless.

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