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5.9 Magnitude Quake Kills 8 in Afghanistan, Tremors Felt in Delhi-NCR

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, killing at least eight people and injuring a child after a house collapsed in Kabul province. Strong tremors from the quake were also felt across the Delhi-National Capital Region and several parts of North India, causing panic and leading residents to evacuate homes and offices. Afghanistan is highly prone to earthquakes, with studies showing it suffers an average of 560 fatalities and $80 million in damages from them annually. The country's seismic activity is driven by its location on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, interacting with the Indian and Arabian plates.

Key Points: Afghanistan Earthquake Kills 8, Tremors Felt in North India

  • 5.9-magnitude quake hits Afghanistan
  • Eight killed, child injured in Kabul
  • Tremors felt in Delhi-NCR and North India
  • Afghanistan averages 560 quake deaths yearly
  • Region is tectonically active due to plate boundaries
2 min read

Earthquake in northern Afghanistan kills eight

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake in northern Afghanistan kills eight. Strong tremors also felt across Delhi-NCR, causing panic and evacuations.

"At least eight people have been killed - Mohammad Yousuf Hammad"

Kabul, April 4

At least eight people have been killed in a 5.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan, Mohammad Yousuf Hammad, a spokesman for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, said.

A house in Kabul province collapsed following the quake, killing eight residents and injuring a child, Hammad said late Friday night.

Strong tremors were also felt in the capital, Kabul. The epicentre, with a depth of 186.4 km, was initially determined to be at 36.55 degrees north latitude and 70.85 degrees east longitude, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earthquake tremors were felt across Delhi-NCR and several parts of North India on Friday night, triggering panic among residents who rushed out of homes and office buildings.

The tremors were reported from multiple locations, including Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, as well as parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and adjoining regions.

Residents had reported feeling sudden jerks while seated, with furniture and hanging objects swaying. Many people said the shaking lasted for a few seconds but was strong enough to be clearly felt indoors.

In several residential areas, people stepped out of their homes as a precaution, while office-goers briefly evacuated buildings. People gathered in open spaces, waiting for further updates.

Afghanistan is prone to a range of natural disasters, but its earthquakes cause the most fatalities, killing about 560 people on average each year and causing annual damages estimated at $80 million. Studies indicate at least 355 earthquakes with a magnitude higher than 5.0 have hit Afghanistan since 1990.

Afghanistan is located on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, which shares a transgression zone with the Indian plate - implying the two may converge or brush past each other - and is also influenced by the Arabian plate to its south, creating one of the world's most tectonically active regions.

The northward movement of the Indian plate and its thrust against the Eurasian plate is usually responsible for Afghanistan's numerous quakes.

Eastern and northeastern Afghanistan, especially regions along its borders with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan, are particularly prone to earthquakes.

This includes heavily populated Kabul, which has the highest average estimated damage due to earthquakes, amounting to $17 million every year, according to a study.

Earthquakes are also particularly dangerous in Afghanistan's mountains where they can trigger landslides, exacerbating loss of life and property.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The article clearly explains the tectonic reason. The Indian plate pushing north is causing this. We in Delhi-NCR are on the same plate boundary, so we feel the aftershocks. It's a reminder we need better preparedness in our own high-rise cities.
A
Aman W
Felt it in Gurugram! My chair suddenly jerked. Whole office building emptied out for 10 minutes. Makes you realize how fragile we are. Hope the child who was injured recovers quickly.
S
Sarah B
$17 million in damage every year just in Kabul? That's staggering. With the humanitarian situation there, how do they even begin to rebuild? This is a tragedy layered on top of other crises.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, while the geological info is good, the article jumps between Afghanistan and Delhi-NCR a bit too much. The core tragedy is the eight lives lost. Our tremors were just a mild scare, their's was deadly. Focus should be there.
K
Kavya N
This is why building codes are so important, especially in seismic zones. Poor construction turns a 5.9 quake into a disaster. Hope India is learning and enforcing strict norms, especially in the NCR where builders cut corners.
D
David E
The

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