Shallow Earthquake Hits Pakistan, Heightening Aftershock Risk

A 4.7 magnitude earthquake rattled Pakistan on October 20, 2025, striking at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers beneath the surface. This tremor comes on the heels of moderate quakes that hit the region over the previous weekend, indicating that seismic activity remains unsettled in the area.

The shallow nature of the latest quake makes the surrounding region more susceptible to potentially damaging aftershocks. Shallow earthquakes can be more dangerous than deep ones, as the seismic waves have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially greater damage to structures and higher casualty rates.

Pakistan is situated in a seismically active zone, crossed by several major fault lines. The country's location on the collision zone between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates makes it highly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes, particularly in provinces like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan, which lie on the southern edge of the Eurasian plate. Other regions, such as Sindh and Punjab, are also at risk due to their proximity to the northwestern edge of the Indian plate.