Earthquake today: 4.2-magnitude tremor shakes Faisalabad division in Pakistan, seventh quake recorded in May

Earthquake Today: Pakistan was rattled once again on Tuesday evening by a 4.2-magnitude earthquake centred near Jhang Tehsil in the Faisalabad division of Punjab province. The tremor occurred at a depth of 111 kilometres, with coordinates recorded at 31.31°N latitude and 72.52°E longitude.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake struck at approximately 7:30 pm local time.

This latest seismic event marks the seventh notable earthquake in Pakistan during May 2025, reflecting a period of heightened tectonic activity across the region.

Earlier this month, the country experienced several significant tremors, including a 4.6-magnitude quake on 12 May at a shallow depth of 10 km, and two consecutive earthquakes on 10 May measuring 5.7 and 4.0 in magnitude respectively.

Other notable quakes in May include:

• 4.0 magnitude near Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 9 May
• 5.7 magnitude in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, felt across northern Pakistan on 10 May
• 4.2 magnitude affecting parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan on 5 May
• 4.7 magnitude north-northwest of Peshawar on 16 May
• 4.1 magnitude recorded near Pakistan on 24 May

Pakistan typically experiences around 243 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater annually within a 300 km radius, averaging roughly one every two days.

This persistent seismic activity is mainly due to the country’s location along the convergent boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, as well as its proximity to seismic hotspots such as the Hindu Kush mountain range.

Provinces like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan lying on the southern boundary of the Eurasian Plate, while Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir rest on the Indian Plate. This geological setting makes the region prone to regular seismic activity.

The recent series of earthquakes has been felt across multiple regions, including Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Gilgit-Baltistan, highlighting Pakistan’s ongoing vulnerability to frequent and sometimes severe seismic disturbances.