GILGIT-BALTISTAN / RankWire.AI / – On the morning of August 13, a earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 rattled northeastern Pakistan, causing strong tremors in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded the quake at magnitude 5.3. The seismic event took place at 5:35 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was approximately 27 kilometers northwest of Sost, near the Khunjerab region. The depth was determined to be 15 kilometers. Early morning, residents across multiple northern communities experienced the shaking firsthand.
Affected districts included Hunza and Nagar, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza reporting some of the clearest signs of ground disturbance. As the tremors moved through communities nestled among steep mountain slopes, residents evacuated their homes. This seismic activity triggered landslides and rocks falling in parts of the valley. A rockfall near Ramanji blocked the Chipurson Valley road, disrupting access to remote settlements—crucial routes that connect villages to larger towns through mountainous terrain.
Initial assessments by officials indicated no casualties or injuries from the main quake. Similarly, there was no confirmation of structural damage at that stage. The main impact recorded was from landslides and rockfalls that affected local infrastructure. The Gilgit-Baltistan administration closely monitored the impacted areas and road conditions following the tremor. They also examined routes where debris had reached mountain pathways, as the earthquake added to the series of seismic events that have struck northern Pakistan during 2026.
Rockfalls Block Road Access in Upper Hunza
The epicenter was located near Sost, a town on the Karakoram Highway corridor in northern Pakistan. Sost lies south of the Khunjerab Pass and serves as a gateway for communities across Upper Hunza. The Khunjerab route connects Pakistan with China’s Xinjiang region through a high-altitude border crossing. The district’s mountainous terrain makes road access vulnerable to rockfalls and landslides. The tremors from Thursday’s quake were felt strongly in this remote area, with effects mostly reported from communities near the epicenter.
Later on Thursday morning, a second earthquake struck the same area. According to official seismic data, this tremor occurred at 9:24 a.m. local time, registering a magnitude of 4.7 with a depth of 19 kilometers. Its epicenter was approximately 28 kilometers west-northwest of Sost, placing it close to the initial quake. Both seismic events happened within roughly four hours, indicating continued seismic activity in Upper Hunza and surrounding districts.
Repeated Earthquakes Mark Northern Pakistan’s Seismic Activity
Earlier this year, the region experienced a more powerful quake, a magnitude 5.8 event on January 19, which impacted Hunza, Ghizer, and other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. This earlier earthquake caused landslides, damaged structures, and blocked roads in several mountain communities. One person died, and multiple others sustained injuries. Chipurson Valley also suffered damage to homes and infrastructure, complicating access and travel between isolated settlements after the event.
The northern mountain belt of Pakistan is part of an intensely active seismic zone influenced by major tectonic plate movements. Regular earthquakes affect Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and adjacent areas of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. The August 13 tremor, centered near Sost, once again brought intense shaking to communities in Upper Hunza. While landslides and rockfalls disrupted road connections, authorities confirmed no casualties from the main quake. Records also indicate a second significant tremor near Sost later that same morning, continuing the pattern of seismic activity in the region.