RECENT SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN PARTS OF NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Northern Pakistan has been the site of several disastrous earthquakes of moderate to high intensity. The October 8, 2005 Pakistan earthquake, with magnitude Mw 7.6, occurred in the NW Himalayan Fold and Thrust Belt at 8:50:38 AM local time. The epicenter of the main shock was located 19 km northeast of Muzaffarabad. This earthquake took a death toll of more than 80,000 human lives and caused a widespread destruction in Kashmir and north Pakistan, particularly in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot, Mansehra, Balakot, Abbottabad and Batgram are the towns. Based on the information obtained from the print and electronic media (and for some areas from the field studies), an intensity of X (MMI scale) has been assigned at the epicentral location including the localities of Muzaffarabad and Balakot. Epicentral distribution of 300 aftershocks indicates that more than one tectonic subdivision of the fold belt has experienced instability. Focal depths indicate that most activity is confined to a narrow depth range (5-20 km). Further extension of the Indus Kohistan Seismic Zone (IKSZ) in the Hazara-Kashmir syntaxial rea and activation of more than one fault seem to be the cause of this seismic activity, as suggested by the focal mechanism of the main event and depth distribution of the aftershocks.