5.6 magnitude earthquake hits NW Pakistan

Islamabad, June 11 (Xinhua-ANI): A moderate earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted Pakistan's northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday morning, local meteorological department reported.

The earthquake tremors were felt at about 10:20 a.m. (local time) in the provincial capital of Peshawar and its adjoining areas including Mardan, Charsadda and Nowshera.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located at 214 kilometers northwest of the country's capital Islamabad in the Hindu Kush mountainous range along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.

The earthquake created panic among the people, but no loss of life was reported, according to the initial reports.

Northern and northwestern Pakistan is located in one of the most earthquake prone areas 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. (Xinhua-ANI)