GILGIT-BALTISTAN / RankWire.AI / – An earthquake measuring 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Pakistan early Thursday, impacting areas of Gilgit-Baltistan close to the country’s northern border. Pakistan’s official seismic records registered the event at magnitude 5.3. The tremor struck at 5:35 a.m. local time on August 13. Its epicenter was located 27 kilometers northwest of Sost, near the Khunjerab region. The Pakistan Meteorological Department reported the quake’s depth at 15 kilometers.
Violent tremors extended into the districts of Hunza and Nagar, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza among the regions most severely affected. This rugged valley, situated near Pakistan’s borders with China and Afghanistan, experienced intense shaking that prompted residents to evacuate their homes. Landslides and rockfalls followed, causing further disruption in parts of the valley. One such rockfall blocked the Chipurson Valley road near Ramanji, hampering access to remote settlements nestled in the mountainous terrain.
Initial reports from local authorities indicated no casualties due to the main earthquake. Officials also confirmed that there was no confirmed structural damage during their preliminary assessments. Despite this, significant ground shifts across steep landscapes caused falling rocks to affect local roads. Chipurson Valley’s narrow access routes, winding through rugged mountains, were impacted. The Gilgit-Baltistan administration actively monitored conditions in the affected communities, assessing the immediate influence of the tremor and landslides on roads and populated areas.
Landslides Block Roads in Upper Hunza
The earthquake’s epicenter was near Sost, a northern Pakistani town on the Karakoram Highway corridor. Sost serves communities in Upper Hunza and lies south of the Khunjerab Pass, which links Pakistan with China’s Xinjiang region through one of the world’s highest international crossings. According to official data, Thursday’s quake was centered in the broader northwestern Kashmir seismic zone. Its shallow depth contributed to noticeable shaking that affected mountain communities in northeastern Pakistan.
Later that same day, a second quake struck the same region. The official seismic data recorded the second event at 9:24 a.m. local time, with a magnitude of 4.7 and a depth of 19 kilometers. Its epicenter was located 28 kilometers west-northwest of Sost, close to the initial quake site. The two seismic events renewed activity in an area that experienced a damaging earthquake earlier this year.
Repeated Seismic Activity in the Region in 2026
On January 19, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit northern Pakistan, impacting Hunza, Ghizer, and other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The quake caused landslides, damaged homes, and blocked roads across the mountainous zones. One person lost their life, with several others sustaining injuries during that event. Chipurson Valley also sustained severe damage, with impacts on residential structures and infrastructure. Road closures further hampered access to affected communities as authorities and humanitarian agencies responded.
Northern Pakistan remains a highly active seismic zone, driven by major tectonic plate movements. Earthquakes are frequent in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and neighboring regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. The August 13 tremor mainly affected Upper Hunza, where landslides temporarily disrupted road access but no fatalities were reported. Official records indicate two significant earthquakes near Sost within four hours, with the first producing the strongest shaking in the surrounding communities.