Islamabad: At least three people, including two women, died when a 5.5-magnitude quake hit Pakistan`s capital Islamabad, as also parts of the country`s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday morning, Met office said.

Media said that the three people of same family were killed when their house collapsed due to strong tremors in Abbottabad, a district located 110 km north of Islamabad.

The earthquake jolted the country at 01:59 a.m. (local time) and its focal depth was measured at 10 km, Xinhua reported.

The magnitude of the quake was determined at 23 km northeast of the capital in the Margalla hills.

The tremor caused panic among the people who rushed out of their houses in panic.

Pakistan, particularly its north and northwest areas, are located in one of the most earthquake prone zones of the world.