Khuzdar earthquake: 5.9 magnitude quake 48 km from the city at 10:07am, PMD says

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Balochistan's Khuzdar district at 10:07am PKT on Saturday 17 October 2026, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said. The Khuzdar earthquake was centred 48 km northwest of Khuzdar at 28.02°N, 66.20°E, at a depth of 25 km, according to the PMD's seismic data from its Islamabad office, Dawn reported.

What we know so far

• Magnitude: 5.9 (PMD)
• Time: 10:07am PKT, Saturday 17 October
• Depth: 25 km, which counts as shallow; shallow quakes are felt more strongly at the surface than deep ones of the same size
• Epicentre: 48 km northwest of Khuzdar city
• Damage: no official damage or casualty figures had been published by the PMD or the provincial disaster authority at the time of writing

We will add any report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan or the district administration here as soon as it is issued.

Why Balochistan shakes so often

Pakistan sits where three tectonic plates meet: the Arabian, Eurasian and Indian plates. Their slow collision runs through Balochistan and has produced several quakes this year. In August a 4.8 magnitude quake was recorded 122 km northeast of Zhob at a depth of 15 km and was felt in Zhob and Chaman, and in July a magnitude 4 quake shook Quetta, Ziarat and Harnai. Neither caused casualties, Dawn reported. Saturday's quake is stronger than both: each whole step on the magnitude scale is roughly 32 times more energy, so a 5.9 releases about 45 times the energy of August's 4.8.

If you are in Khuzdar, Kalat or nearby

Aftershocks are common in the hours and days after a quake of this size. The standard advice from disaster agencies:

1. Drop, cover and hold on under a sturdy table if the ground shakes again. Stay away from windows, cupboards and outside walls.
2. Do not run out during shaking. Most injuries happen from falling masonry at doorways and on stairs. Go out once it stops.
3. Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas, open windows, do not switch on lights or light a match, and close the cylinder or main valve.
4. Look for cracks in load-bearing walls and roofs, especially in mud and stone houses, before going back inside.
5. Keep a phone charged and a torch, water and a basic first aid kit by the door.

In an emergency call Rescue 1122 or the PDMA Balochistan helpline.

Find the nearest hospital in our Quetta hospitals directory.