Islamabad jolted by earthquake

ISLAMABAD // Residents of Pakistan's capital were jolted from their beds overnight by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake, a chilling reminder of the devastating quake that killed more than 80,000 people and left three million homeless almost exactly five years ago. 

Arif Mahmood, a seismological official in the northwestern city of Peshawar, said the quake's epicentre was only about 17 miles (28 kilometers) north of Islamabad.

It occurred at about 2.45 am today and was shallow, at about 10 kilometers deep, so that it caused strong shaking. However, no damage or injuries were reported. 

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck on October 8, 2005, devastating areas around the epicentre in Pakistan-held Kashmir. It also toppled an apartment block in the capital, killing 74 people. 

* AP