5.1-magnitude earthquake hits NW Pakistan

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Pakistan's northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday afternoon, local meteorological department said. The earthquake tremors were felt at about 1:30 p.m. (local time) in the provincial capital of Peshawar and its adjoining areas including Swat and Mardan. The epicenter of the earthquake rested 47 kilometers deep in the Hindu Kush region, a mountainous area along Pakistan-Afghan border located at about 214 kilometers northwest of the country's capital Islamabad. The earthquake created panic among the people, but no loss of life was reported, according to initial reports. Northwestern Pakistan is located in one of the most earthquake- prone zones of the world with high vulnerability to earthquakes. Geographically, Pakistan lies in the collision zone of the India tectonic plate to the south and the Eurasian plate to the north.