1st LD: 5.5-magnitude earthquake hits SW Pakistan

An earthquake of 5.5 magnitude hit parts of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Monday afternoon, the MET office said.

The earthquake jolted Khuzdar district and its adjoining areas, said the report.

The MET office said that the epicenter of the quake was determined at 70 km southwest of the khuzdar district, with a focal depth of 10 km.

The quake created panic among the people, but no loss of life was reported, according to the initial reports.

Pakistan is located in one of the most earthquake prone areas with high vulnerability to earthquakes.

Geographically, the country lies in the collision zone of the India tectonic plate to the south and the Eurasian plate to the north. Endi