Two Earthquakes Strike Northeast Afghanistan, Felt Across Pakistan and Tajikistan

KABUL / ISLAMABAD – Two earthquakes rattled northeastern Afghanistan early Saturday, sending tremors across a wide swath of South and Central Asia, including major cities in Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). No immediate casualties or significant damage have been reported.

The first and stronger quake registered a magnitude of 5.5, striking at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time (0300 GMT). It was centered in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) south of the Jurm district in Badakhshan Province, at a depth of 199 kilometers (124 miles), the USGS reported.

A second tremor, measuring magnitude 4.5, followed shortly after, hitting roughly 34 kilometers from Jurm at a depth of about 186 kilometers, according to USGS data.

Widespread Tremors Across Borders

The shaking was felt across a broad region due to the depth of the quakes. In Pakistan, residents in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region, and the capital, Islamabad, reported brief but noticeable shaking.

Pakistan’s Meteorological Department confirmed the epicenter was in the Hindu Kush region, a seismically active area where deep earthquakes are common. Such deep tremors often propagate over vast distances but typically cause less surface destruction than shallow quakes.

In Afghanistan, the tremors were felt in several provinces, including the capital, Kabul, where residents described brief moments of concern but no widespread panic or disruption. Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported that the quakes were felt across multiple areas starting around 7:30 a.m. local time.

Unconfirmed social media reports also suggested light shaking was felt in parts of neighboring Tajikistan.

No Immediate Damage, Assessments Underway

Authorities on both sides of the border said there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage.

“We felt the shaking, but nothing fell. People came out of their homes for a few minutes and then went back inside,” said Ahmad Shah, a resident of Kabul’s PD5 district.

Officials noted that assessments are still ongoing, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas of Badakhshan, which is characterized by rugged mountains and weak infrastructure.

Context: A Quake-Prone Region

Afghanistan and eastern Pakistan lie along major tectonic fault lines, making them highly prone to seismic activity. The Hindu Kush region is known for frequent deep earthquakes, which are felt over wide areas but often cause less surface damage than shallower tremors.

However, experts warn that weak infrastructure and vulnerable housing especially in rural parts of Afghanistan can elevate the risk of casualties even from moderate quakes. A shallow 5.9-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan in June 2022 killed more than 1,000 people and left tens of thousands homeless.

Saturday’s deep quakes, by contrast, appear to have caused limited or no impact. Officials continue to monitor the situation, and no official reports of injuries or damage have been issued so far by authorities in Kabul or Islamabad.

 

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