Karachi, December 16, 2025 — A mild to moderate earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck Karachi and several areas of Balochistan late Monday night, triggering panic among residents but causing no immediate reports of casualties or damage, officials said.
According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the earthquake’s epicentre was located in Sonmiani, Balochistan, at a depth of 12 kilometres, approximately 87 kilometres northwest of Karachi. The tremors were felt across Karachi’s coastal and central areas, prompting people to rush out of homes and buildings.
In Balochistan, the quake was felt in Hub, Vinder, and Gadani, where residents also reported brief but noticeable shaking. Authorities confirmed that the tremors were short-lived and no structural damage was reported from any of the affected regions.
Earlier on Tuesday, a separate 3.2-magnitude earthquake rattled Sibi city and nearby areas in Balochistan. The PMD said the epicentre was about 53 kilometres from Sibi, and, similar to the later quake, no loss of life or property was recorded.
Balochistan has experienced recurrent seismic activity in recent weeks. On December 3, mild tremors struck Khuzdar and Sibi districts. Khuzdar recorded a 3.3-magnitude quake at a depth of 15 kilometres, while Sibi experienced a 4.0-magnitude tremor at a depth of 10 kilometres. Earlier, on November 26, a 3.1-magnitude earthquake was reported near Sibi, with its epicentre roughly 60 kilometres northeast of the city.
The province also witnessed a 5.0-magnitude earthquake on November 8, which affected Ziarat and surrounding areas. The epicentre of that quake was located 67 kilometres northeast of Quetta. Ziarat remains a sensitive seismic zone, having suffered a devastating earthquake in 2008 that killed more than 200 people, injured hundreds, and displaced over 15,000 residents after entire villages were flattened.
Pakistan lies in an active seismic region, particularly Balochistan, which sits along a major tectonic fault line where the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate. The country has a long history of destructive earthquakes, including the 2005 northern areas earthquake that claimed around 73,000 lives, and the 1935 Quetta earthquake, which killed nearly 30,000 people.
Due to its vast geography and sparse population, Balochistan faces significant challenges in emergency response and disaster management, making earthquake preparedness a continuing concern for authorities.