A moderate 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan’s Balochistan province early Sunday morning, triggering panic and causing structural damage across multiple towns. The quake, recorded at 3:54 am near Barkan, shook surrounding areas including Kingri, Rara Shaim, and Wastu. Preliminary reports confirm at least five people were injured, including a couple whose house roof collapsed in the Rara Shaim locality. Around a dozen houses were damaged, with visible cracks forming in several buildings, according to Levies official Tauqeer Shah. While some local sources claimed the quake was stronger, the US Geological Survey officially measured it at 5.2, with the epicentre located 60 km from Barkan.

This latest tremor is a reminder of Pakistan’s seismic vulnerability. Balochistan, in particular, has a history of deadly quakes. In 2021, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Harnai killed 20 people and left dozens injured. The deadliest remains the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which claimed over 73,000 lives and displaced millions. Even earlier this month, Karachi experienced minor tremors, though no damage was reported. The repeated seismic activity highlights the urgent need for earthquake-resistant infrastructure and rapid emergency response mechanisms in high-risk regions like Balochistan.

Pakistan’s location at the convergence of three major tectonic plates—the Arabian, Eurasian, and Indian plates—makes it one of the most seismically active countries in South Asia. Experts classify the region into five seismic zones, ranging from low to extremely high risk. With moderate-to-severe earthquakes becoming increasingly frequent, especially in remote and underserved areas, authorities are now urged to conduct structural audits and implement stricter building codes to reduce the impact of future quakes. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued precautionary guidelines for aftershocks, and local officials continue to monitor the situation for any further seismic activity.