An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Monday afternoon, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre.

Pakistan Metrological Department said that the epicenter of the earthquake was 103 kilometers away from Doda in Indian Held Kashmir. The magnitude on the Ritcher scale was recorded to be 5.8 while its depth was 140 kilometres.

An aftershock of 5.1 magnitude occurred at 3:31 PM with a depth of 133 KM. As of now, there have been no reported details regarding any damage caused by the earthquake.

Earthquake of Magnitude:4.0, Occurred on 18-12-2023, 11:38:03 IST, Lat: 29.32 & Long: 70.12, Depth: 10 Km ,Location: Pakistan for more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/GHkNRDXwu6 @Indiametdept @ndmaindia @Dr_Mishra1966 @KirenRijiju @Ravi_MoES @DDNational pic.twitter.com/LFX8rN3nLR
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) December 18, 2023

Earlier, the Mastung district of Balochistan experienced an earthquake with a recorded magnitude of 3.9, according to the national seismic monitoring centre.

The tremors, which occurred at a depth of 18 km, left residents momentarily startled but resulted in no reported damage.

The epicenter of the earthquake was identified as being 32 km west of Mastung, the vibrations prompting citizens to exit their homes, seeking open spaces and reciting Kalima Tayyaba in response to the sudden jolt. Despite the initial fear and panic, there have been no reports of injuries or property damage.

Authorities have assured residents that there were no aftershocks felt in the aftermath of the seismic activity.

Must Read: Earthquake alert: Dutch scientist predicts ‘strong tremor’ in Pakistan

‘Accurate guess not possible’: Pakistan rejects scientist prediction of strong earthquake

The Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGEOS), a Netherlands-based organization known for its seismic predictions, has made headlines by forecasting a major earthquake in Pakistan.

According to the SSGEOS, this seismic event is expected to strike Pakistan within the next 48 hours.

The SSGEOS specializes in monitoring fluctuations of electric charge in the atmosphere near sea level, which they claim are indicative of regions where stronger seismic activity might occur, typically within a range of 1 to 9 days.

Pakistan’s National Seismic Mongering Centre (NSMC) rejected the Dutch scientist's claims of strong tremor in Pakistan, who predicted accurate time and date of quake.

Chaman Fault Line reality

The officials said that Chaman fault line definitely exists—there was an earthquake in 2013—but definitely it cannot be predicted when the next earthquake will occur.

Responding to the queries about Dutch scientist prediction, NSMC authorities and experts said that a fault line could cause an earthquake, but it is not possible to accurately predict the possible time.

“Many predictions of the Solar System Geometry Survey have been proved wrong,” they said.