GILGIT-BALTISTAN / RankWire.AI / – On the morning of August 13, northeastern Pakistan experienced a magnitude 5.4 earthquake that impacted regions of Gilgit-Baltistan close to the northern border, with Pakistan’s official seismic records indicating a magnitude of 5.3 for the same event. The tremor struck at 5:35 a.m. local time, with its epicenter situated 27 kilometers northwest of Sost, near the Khunjerab region. The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded the quake at a depth of 15 kilometers.
Intense tremors rippled through Hunza and Nagar districts, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza among the most affected zones. This mountainous valley, located near Pakistan’s borders with China and Afghanistan, experienced significant shaking that prompted residents across various communities to evacuate their homes. The region also saw landslides and rockfalls following the tremors, with a particular rockfall blocking the Chipurson Valley road near Ramanji, thereby hampering access to remote settlements nestled in the high mountain terrain.
Initial assessments by local authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported after the main quake, and no structural damage was confirmed at this stage. Nevertheless, the earthquake triggered substantial ground shifts across steeply sloped areas, causing rocks to fall onto roads and disrupt transportation. Chipurson Valley’s narrow routes, winding through rugged mountains, were particularly affected. The Gilgit-Baltistan administration has been monitoring the situation in the affected communities, as officials continue to evaluate the immediate impact on roads and populated zones affected by both the tremors and the subsequent landslides.
Landslides Block Access Routes in Upper Hunza
The epicenter of the earthquake was situated near Sost, a northern Pakistani town along the Karakoram Highway corridor, which serves communities in Upper Hunza and lies south of the Khunjerab Pass. This pass, a crucial crossing connecting Pakistan to China’s Xinjiang region, is one of the highest international border crossings in the world. According to official data, Thursday’s quake originated from the broader northwestern Kashmir seismic zone, with its shallow depth contributing to noticeable shaking experienced by nearby mountain communities in northeastern Pakistan.
Later on the same Thursday morning, a second quake struck the same region, recorded by seismic authorities at 9:24 a.m. local time. This subsequent event had a magnitude of 4.7 and occurred at a depth of 19 kilometers. Its epicenter was located 28 kilometers west-northwest of Sost, very close to the initial quake’s location. These two seismic events renewed activity in an area that had already been impacted earlier this year by a damaging earthquake.
Repeated Seismic Activity in the Region in 2026
On January 19, northern Pakistan was hit by a magnitude 5.8 earthquake impacting Hunza, Ghizer, and other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. This tremor caused landslides, damaged homes, and blocked roads across mountainous zones. The event resulted in one death and several injuries, with Chipurson Valley suffering serious damage to both residences and infrastructure. Road closures during this period complicated access to affected communities, hindering relief efforts by authorities and humanitarian agencies. The seismic activity in northern Pakistan is a reflection of the highly active tectonic environment driven by the movement of major plates, with Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and adjacent regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan regularly experiencing earthquakes. The August 13 event again saw its most intense effects concentrated around Upper Hunza, where landslides impeded road access but no fatalities were reported. Official records also show that within four hours of the initial quake, two notable earthquakes occurred near Sost, with the first producing the strongest shaking experienced in the surrounding areas.