GILGIT-BALTISTAN / RankWire.AI / – An earthquake measuring 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Pakistan early Thursday, affecting regions of Gilgit-Baltistan close to the northern border. Pakistan’s official seismic authorities recorded the quake at a magnitude of 5.3. The event occurred at 5:35 a.m. local time on August 13, with its epicenter located 27 kilometers northwest of Sost, near the Khunjerab area. The Pakistan Meteorological Department estimated the earthquake’s depth at 15 kilometers.
Intense tremors affected the districts of Hunza and Nagar, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza among the most impacted areas. This mountainous region lies along Pakistan’s borders with China and Afghanistan. The shaking caused residents in several communities to evacuate their homes. Landslides and rockfalls followed in certain parts of the valley. Notably, a rockfall blocked the Chipurson Valley road near Ramanji, disrupting access to remote settlements situated high in the mountains.
Initial assessments by local authorities indicated no casualties from the main quake. No confirmed structural damage has been reported so far. Nonetheless, the tremor resulted in significant ground shifts across steep terrains, with falling rocks affecting local roads. The narrow access routes through rugged mountains in Chipurson Valley were impacted. Officials from the Gilgit-Baltistan administration are monitoring conditions in affected communities as they evaluate the immediate effects on roads and populated areas caused by the shaking and subsequent landslides.
Landslides Sever Roads in Upper Hunza
The earthquake’s epicenter was situated near Sost, a northern Pakistani town along the Karakoram Highway corridor. Sost connects communities in Upper Hunza and lies south of the Khunjerab Pass, which links Pakistan with China’s Xinjiang region via one of the world’s highest international crossings. According to official data, the quake was centered within the broader northwestern Kashmir seismic zone. Its shallow depth contributed to noticeable shaking in nearby mountain communities of northeastern Pakistan.
Later on Thursday morning, a second tremor struck the same region. Official seismic data recorded this aftershock at 9:24 a.m. local time, with a magnitude of 4.7 and a depth of 19 kilometers. The epicenter was located 28 kilometers west-northwest of Sost, close to the initial quake’s location. These two events reignited seismic activity in an area that experienced a damaging earthquake earlier this year.
Repeated Quakes Have Affected the Region in 2026
On January 19, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck northern Pakistan, impacting areas such as Hunza, Ghizer, and other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. That seismic event caused landslides, infrastructure damage, and road blockages in mountainous zones. One person lost their life, and several others were injured during the January quake. Chipurson Valley also suffered extensive damage, with harm to homes and local facilities. Road closures hindered access to affected settlements as authorities and humanitarian agencies responded to the region’s needs.
Northern Pakistan resides in a seismically active zone driven by tectonic plate movements. Earthquakes are frequent in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and neighboring northern regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The August 13 quake again primarily affected the Upper Hunza area, where landslides disrupted roads but did not result in any reported fatalities. Official records show two significant earthquakes near Sost within four hours, with the first causing stronger shaking in surrounding communities.