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KABUL – A strong earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region late Tuesday, sending tremors across several northeastern provinces and the capital, Kabul. The quake, recorded at a depth of about 244 kilometres, was powerful enough to rattle windows and cause brief panic among residents but caused no immediate reports of casualties or major structural damage, officials said.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicentre was located in the rugged Hindu Kush mountain range, a seismically active zone where deep quakes frequently occur due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The National Disaster Management Authority said teams have been dispatched to assess possible damage in Badakhshan, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces, where light tremors were also reported.
Afghanistan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Asia, with the Hindu Kush range regularly experiencing moderate to strong quakes. The latest tremor comes just weeks after several powerful shocks hit eastern Afghanistan, killing dozens and displacing hundreds of families in Kunar and Nangarhar.
Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious and stay in open areas during aftershocks. “We are monitoring the situation and coordinating with provincial offices,” said a spokesperson for the State Ministry for Disaster Management. “So far, there are no reports of casualties, but we remain on high alert.”
Tuesday’s quake occurred within 24 hours of two other powerful earthquakes that struck Argentina and Costa Rica, in what experts described as an unusual cluster of seismic activity across three continents.
