Earthquake of magnitude 4.4 strikes Afghanistan
Kabul, April 27
An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck Afghanistan on Monday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology said.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 95km.
In a post on X, NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.4, On: 27/04/2026 03:24:40 IST, Lat: 36.109 N, Long: 68.738 E, Depth: 95 Km, Location: Afghanistan."
Earlier on April 22, another earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck the region at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.
In a post on X, NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.0, On: 22/04/2026 08:38:25 IST, Lat: 36.612 N, Long: 72.048 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Afghanistan."
Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties.
Earthquakes can occur anywhere between the Earth's surface and about 700 kilometres below the surface. For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0 - 700 km is divided into three zones: shallow, intermediate, and deep, as per USGS data.
Shallow earthquakes are between 0 and 70 km deep; intermediate earthquakes, 70 - 300 km deep; and deep earthquakes, 300 - 700 km deep. In general, the term "deep-focus earthquakes" is applied to earthquakes deeper than 70 km, the USGS states.
Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush region, which lies in a highly active seismic zone, according to the Red Cross.
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 passes through parts of the country, including the Herat region.
The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) notes that Afghanistan remains extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides and seasonal flooding. Repeated tremors worsen the situation for communities already struggling with decades of conflict and limited development, leaving them with minimal resilience to withstand multiple shocks.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The depth of 95km is relatively deep so hopefully the damage is minimal. Shallow quakes are far more destructive as the article rightly points out. Afghanistan has suffered enough, prayers for the people there 🙏
Hard to believe that just a few days ago on April 22 there was a shallow 4.0 quake at just 10km depth. That must have been terrifying for people. But nature is unpredictable and we can only be prepared. Our Indian seismology network is doing a good job tracking these events.
Living in India, I often forget how much worse it is for Afghanistan - they face both quakes and conflict. The UNOCHA report is spot on: they lack resilience. We should at least help with early warning systems and relief material. It's common sense, not just charity.
The earthquake depth information is very informative. I didn't know shallow quakes go up to 70km. So a 4.4 at 95km is actually intermediate depth, which is less dangerous. Still, any quake is scary for people living there. Hope everyone is okay.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.