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Earthquake in Afghanistan : Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake Hits Afghanistan Weeks After Deadly Quake
A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan early Monday, continuing a series of tremors weeks after a deadly quake killed dozens and damaged infrastructure.
An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan early on Monday, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said.
According to the NCS, the tremor was recorded at 6:10 am at a depth of 22 kilometres, with the epicentre located at latitude 36.71° North and longitude 71.58° East. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The latest quake comes amid a series of seismic events reported in Afghanistan over the past week. On December 10, a stronger earthquake of magnitude 4.3 jolted the country in the early hours. That tremor occurred at a much deeper depth of 150 kilometres, the NCS said in a post on X.
A day earlier, on December 9, two separate earthquakes were recorded in the region. One measured 3.8 in magnitude at a depth of 70 kilometres, while another stronger tremor of magnitude 4.5 struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres.
Experts note that shallow earthquakes tend to be more destructive as seismic waves reach the surface more quickly, resulting in stronger ground shaking.
Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush region, which lies in a highly active seismic zone, according to the Red Cross.
The recent tremors follow a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan on November 4. Afghan authorities said at least 27 people were killed and hundreds injured in that quake. CNN reported that the tremor also damaged one of the country’s most iconic mosques. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth, increasing its destructive impact.
Afghanistan’s vulnerability to earthquakes is linked to its location along the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. A major fault line also runs through parts of the country, including the Herat region.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has warned that Afghanistan remains extremely vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and seasonal flooding. Repeated seismic activity further strains communities already weakened by decades of conflict and underdevelopment, leaving them with limited capacity to cope with repeated shocks.
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