Magnitude 5.5 quake rattles NW Pakistan, 9 children injured

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake today jolted northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, injuring at least nine children and causing panic among the residents, media reports said.

The epicenter of the quake was northwestern city of Bannu at a depth of 12 kilometres. The temblor was felt in the Swat Valley and Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan Meteorological Department was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

At least nine children were injured in Bannu's Government Model School near Tankhi Bazaar, it said.

The panic-stricken children rushed out of the three-story building. Few jumped from second and third floor of the building. The injured have been moved to District Headquarters Hospital, the report said.

Last month, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted many towns of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The epicenter of the quake was at the depth of 200 kilometres in Hindu Kush mountain area of Afghanistan.