Ongoing deformations within the northwestern Himalayan foreland were probed through integrated seismic and gravity analyses. Local broadband waveform data from CES and PMD seismic networks of moderate size ( Mw 5.0) earthquake on December 5, 2024, near Kharian (NW Punjab, Pakistan) were inverted for source parameters to understand the subsurface geological structure and its tectonic association. The epicentral region is 30 km away from Mangla dam, previously a wider scale damages were caused by the 2019 Mw 5.8 earthquake (Mirpur) and its secondary effects. A recent shallow-depth (3 km) seismic event exhibited a thrust mechanism with a relatively steep dip angle (35°) occurred on ramp anticline, in contrast to the lower dip angle observed for the Mirpur event. The optimized present-day stress regime, derived from four events (one recent moment tensor inversion and three from the Global CMT catalog), indicates a causative fault with maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) oriented NNW–SSE, reflecting the oblique convergence of the Indo-Eurasian plate. Gravity data from TOPEX satellites validated the mapped features. The distinct anomalies imply that the Pabbi ramp anticline constitutes an active blind thrust, partitioned by sinistral faults acting as transfer structures. Although the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) accommodates the majority of regional tectonic stress, recent deformation suggests that localized shortening is also occurring along the ramp-related Pabbi anticline, emphasizing its potential seismic hazard.
Tahir et al. (Tue,) studied this question.