Magnitude 5.9 Tremor Hits Khuzdar Region, Triggers Deadly Rockfalls, Forces Emergency Teams To Mobilize

Khuzdar, Pakistan— A 5.9 magnitude tremor hit near Khuzdar on October 25, 2026, triggering deadly rockfalls that buried roads and forced emergency teams to mobilize into the mountains of central Balochistan.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department placed the quake at 9:33 a.m., centered 35 kilometers northeast of Khuzdar at a shallow depth of 12 kilometers. Shaking was felt in Kalat, Surab, and as far as Quetta. Mud-walled homes cracked. Shopkeepers ran into streets.

District officials said rockfalls killed at least three people on the M-8 highway link and near Wadh, where boulders sheared off slopes and crushed a pickup and a motorcycle. Several more were injured and taken to Khuzdar Teaching Hospital. The death toll is expected to be checked once remote hamlets report in.

The Khuzdar deputy commissioner ordered closure of the Khuzdar-Karachi and Khuzdar-Quetta roads for inspection. Bulldozers were sent to clear slides, but new rocks kept falling as aftershocks continued. One aftershock measured 4.6 and dislodged more debris above the highway.

Rescue teams from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Frontier Corps reached two villages near Baghbana that were cut off. Residents said they heard a low rumble before the hillside gave way. "Stones came down like rain. We could not see the road," a truck driver said.

Balochistan's Chief Minister directed emergency funds and ordered tent and food deliveries. The army's Special Rescue Unit was put on standby with helicopters at Khuzdar airstrip. Weather is dry but cold at night, raising concern for those sleeping outside damaged homes.

Seismologists noted the region sits on the western edge of the Indian plate, where shallow quakes are common and often trigger rockfalls due to fractured limestone ridges. Poor road engineering on steep cuts makes slides worse.

Hospitals reported 22 injured, mostly from falling masonry and road accidents after the shake. Schools were closed for the day for safety checks. Power was out in parts of Khuzdar city until a substation breaker was reset.

Crews will continue clearing and scanning slopes overnight with lights. Officials asked travelers to avoid the M-8 until geologists confirm slopes are stable.