A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck early today parts of Pakistan and the Himalayan region of Kashmir, causing panic among local residents, the Associated Press reported. The authorities stated that there are currently no reports of casualties or damage, as quoted by BTA.
The epicenter of the quake is in the predominantly Muslim region of Kashmir, which is shared by Pakistan and India, although both countries claim all of its territory.
According to the National Seismic Monitoring Center in Islamabad, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 kilometers. The tremor was felt across almost all of Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad, the eastern province of Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan.
In 2005, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 claimed thousands of lives in Pakistan and Kashmir, AP recalls.