Pakistan: A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck the fifth in less than a month

Pakistan: According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Pakistan had its fifth recorded seismic event in less than a month when an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 rocked the nation early on Tuesday.

The earthquake happened at 1:21 am IST, according to information provided by the NCS on X. With its epicenter in Pakistan, the earthquake was detected in latitude 25.48 degrees North and longitude 66.69 degrees East.

“EQ of M: 4.8, On: 16/12/2025 01:21:00 IST, Lat: 25.48 N, Long: 66.69 E, Depth: 10 km, Location: Pakistan,” the NCS said in its statement.

The 10 km shallow depth at which the earthquake occurred usually results in more intense ground shaking and raises the possibility of damage.

Because seismic waves travel a shorter distance to the Earth’s surface, shallow earthquakes are often seen as more harmful because they frequently generate heavier ground shaking and a larger risk of infrastructure and building damage.

There were many earthquakes in Pakistan earlier this month. An earthquake of a magnitude of 3.6 was detected 40 kilometers below the surface on December 5.

According to the NCS, “EQ of M: 3.6, On: 05/12/2025 10:39:00 IST, Lat: 34.52 N, Long: 72.46 E, Depth: 40 Km, Location: Pakistan.”

Before that, on November 25, an earthquake of a magnitude of 4.3 and a depth of 120 kilometers rocked the nation.

The organization said, “EQ of M: 4.3, On: 25/11/2025 02:27:17 IST, Lat: 36.54 N, Long: 72.02 E, Depth: 120 Km, Location: Pakistan.”

At a depth of 135 kilometers, another powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 was detected on November 21. According to the NCS, “EQ of M: 5.2, On: 21/11/2025 03:09:12 IST, Lat: 36.12 N, Long: 71.51 E, Depth: 135 Km, Location: Pakistan.”

A 3.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Pakistan on November 20 at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers raised worries about aftershocks in the area. According to the NCS, “EQ of M: 3.9, On: 20/11/2025 17:19:20 IST, Lat: 35.02 N, Long: 71.63 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Pakistan.”

Pakistan’s position near the border between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates makes it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations. Due to their proximity to significant fault lines, areas like Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan are especially susceptible to seismic activity. The Indian Plate’s northwest border states of Punjab and Sindh are still at risk.