Timeline of Major Earthquakes in Pakistan

In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Timeline of Earthquakes in Pakistan

Pakistan sits at the collision boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. Over centuries, powerful seismic events have reshaped its landscape, from the devastation of Quetta in 1935 to the Kashmir earthquake of 2005. This interactive map presents a timeline of significant earthquakes across Pakistan, helping visualize their locations, magnitudes, and historical impact.

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 Leaflet | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Pre-20th Century

• 893 CE – Dvin Earthquake (Armenia, remote effect on Baluchistan?)
  • Historical mentions suggest very large regional seismic activity affecting far parts of South Asia, though no direct impact confirmed.
• 1668 CE – Sibi Earthquake (Balochistan)
  • Estimated Magnitude: ~7.6
  • Description: Severe shaking, heavy local destruction in Sibi and surroundings.
• 1819 CE – Rann of Kutch Earthquake (Sindh region)
  • Magnitude: ~7.7
  • Effects: Created the “Allah Bund” (earth dam); parts of Sindh were flooded; tremors felt across present-day southern Pakistan.

20th Century

• 1931 CE – Mach Earthquake (Balochistan)
  • Magnitude: 7.7
  • Damage: Town of Mach and surrounding areas heavily damaged; many deaths.
• 1935 CE – Quetta Earthquake
  • Magnitude: 7.7–7.8
  • Effects:
    • One of the deadliest earthquakes in South Asia.
    • Around 30,000–60,000 deaths.
    • Quetta city almost completely destroyed.
    • Entire architecture had to be rebuilt after the disaster.
• 1945 CE – Makran Coast Earthquake (and Tsunami)
  • Magnitude: 8.1
  • Effects:
    • Epicenter off the coast of Makran, Balochistan.
    • Caused a major tsunami across the Arabian Sea.
    • Tsunami hit the Makran coast, Karachi, and even distant shores like Mumbai (Bombay) and Oman.
    • Significant loss of life along the coast.

21st Century

• 2001 CE – Bhuj Earthquake (India, effect in Pakistan)
  • Magnitude: 7.7
  • Effects:
    • Epicenter in Gujarat, India.
    • Shocks felt strongly in Sindh, particularly Karachi, Hyderabad, and Badin.
    • Minor damage and some deaths in southern Pakistan.
• 2005 CE – Kashmir Earthquake (Muzaffarabad region)
  • Magnitude: 7.6
  • Effects:
    • Epicenter: Near Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
    • Over 86,000 deaths, most of them in Pakistan.
    • Entire towns like Balakot were destroyed.
    • Massive landslides and displacement.
    • One of the worst natural disasters in Pakistan’s history.
• 2008 CE – Ziarat Earthquake (Balochistan)
  • Magnitude: 6.4
  • Effects:
    • Over 200 deaths.
    • Thousands of mud houses collapsed.
    • Several strong aftershocks continued for weeks.
• 2011 CE – Dalbandin Earthquake (Balochistan)
  • Magnitude: 7.2
  • Effects:
    • Moderate damage due to deep focus (~80 km depth).
    • Strong shaking in Balochistan but relatively few casualties.
• 2013 CE – Awaran Earthquake (Balochistan)
  • Magnitude: 7.7
  • Effects:
    • Over 800 deaths.
    • Entire villages flattened in Awaran and Kech districts.
    • Created a small island (“Zalzala Jazeera”) near Gwadar coast due to mud volcano activity triggered by the quake.
• 2015 CE – Hindu Kush Earthquake (effect in Pakistan)
  • Magnitude: 7.5
  • Epicenter: Badakhshan, Afghanistan (Hindu Kush mountains).
  • Effects:
    • Severe tremors felt across KP, Punjab, Islamabad.
    • Over 300 deaths reported in Pakistan.
    • Infrastructure damage especially in northern areas.
• 2019 CE – Mirpur Earthquake (Azad Kashmir)
  • Magnitude: 5.6
  • Effects:
    • Heavy damage in Mirpur district, Azad Kashmir.
    • Over 40 deaths, hundreds injured.
    • Roads, bridges, and canals cracked and destroyed.

Key Observations:

• Most deadly earthquakes in Pakistan’s history: 1935 Quetta and 2005 Kashmir earthquakes.
• Balochistan region and Kashmir region are the most seismically active areas.
• Makran Subduction Zone (off the coast) remains a tsunami hazard area today.
• Chaman Fault and Rann of Kutch Fault also pose major seismic risks inland.

Quick Summary Table

Year	Place	Magnitude	Key Impact
1668	Sibi, Balochistan	~7.6	Major local destruction
1819	Rann of Kutch (Sindh)	~7.7	Allah Bund formed
1931	Mach, Balochistan	7.7	Severe damage
1935	Quetta	7.7–7.8	30,000–60,000 deaths
1945	Makran Coast	8.1	Tsunami
2005	Kashmir (Muzaffarabad)	7.6	86,000+ deaths
2008	Ziarat, Balochistan	6.4	200+ deaths
2011	Dalbandin, Balochistan	7.2	Deep earthquake
2013	Awaran, Balochistan	7.7	800+ deaths
2015	Hindu Kush (effects in Pakistan)	7.5	300+ deaths
2019	Mirpur, Azad Kashmir	5.6	40+ deaths