5.9 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Hindu Kush Area in Afghanistan
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Synopsis
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan on April 16, 2025. The National Centre for Seismology confirmed the tremor's details, while authorities monitor for damages and casualties.
Key Takeaways
- Magnitude: 5.9
- Location: Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
- Depth: 75 km
- No immediate reports of damage or casualties
- Afghanistan's vulnerability to earthquakes
Kabul, April 16 (NationPress) In the early hours on Wednesday, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, as reported by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
The quake occurred at 04:43 a.m. IST (local time), with the epicenter at latitude 35.83 degrees North and longitude 70.60 degrees East, at a depth of 75 kilometers.
The NCS provided the specifics on X, stating: "EQ of M: 5.9, On: 16/04/2025 04:43:58 IST, Lat: 35.83 N, Long: 70.60 E, Depth: 75 Km, Location: Hindu Kush, Afghanistan."
Currently, there are no immediate reports of casualties or damages, but authorities and humanitarian organizations are vigilantly overseeing the situation.
The Hindu Kush mountain range, extending across northeastern Afghanistan, is situated in a highly seismically active region where earthquakes frequently occur due to the complex tectonic conditions.
Afghanistan is positioned along the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, rendering it particularly susceptible to seismic events.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) highlighted the nation's extreme vulnerability to natural disasters, emphasizing that recurrent earthquakes disproportionately affect communities already strained by years of conflict and chronic underdevelopment.
According to the Red Cross, significant earthquakes are a regular occurrence in Afghanistan, especially in geologically unstable regions like the Hindu Kush.
The western province of Herat also lies on a major fault line, further elevating the country’s seismic risk profile.
In October 2023, a series of powerful quakes, including one measuring 6.3 magnitude, devastated western Afghanistan, particularly Herat, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities and displacing thousands more. This tragic event underscored the urgent need for enhanced disaster response mechanisms and long-term resilience planning throughout the region.
