Seismic activity in parts of Karachi has increased notably, with 32 mild earthquakes recorded since June 1, according to Chief Meteorologist Amir Haider Laghari.
All tremors have been of minor intensity, ranging from 1.5 to 3.6 on the Richter scale. Laghari attributes this surge to the reactivation of the Landhi Fault Line after several decades. He explained that the fault is currently in a normalization phase, during which small tremors occur as part of the gradual release of underground energy.
These minor quakes, which may persist for about a week, are not necessarily alarming but are significant due to their shallow depths, which make them more perceptible.
Laghari stressed that buildings constructed on fault lines should be designed to withstand tremors of up to 6.0 magnitude. He also clarified that cracks reported in some houses are likely due to structural deficiencies rather than seismic damage.
The most recent tremor occurred at 8:32 a.m. on Friday, with a magnitude of 1.5. Earthquake depths have ranged from 2 to 188 kilometers. Affected areas include Quaidabad, Gadap, Malir, DHA, and Korangi.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department also recorded two additional tremors early Friday, with magnitudes of 2.7 and varying depths near Defense and Malir.