5.6 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southeast Afghanistan Near Khandud

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Friday evening, approximately 46 km southeast of Khandud near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, at around 5:45 pm. The quake's epicentre was located at a depth of 10 kilometres.

According to initial reports, there were no immediate injuries, casualties, or property damage. However, the tremor caused panic among residents, still shaken by last month's devastating earthquake. On September 4, southeastern Afghanistan experienced a powerful 6.2 magnitude quake-the third in the same region within just four days-which claimed over 2,200 lives, flattened villages, and trapped people under the rubble of mud and wood homes that could not withstand the tremors.

Afghanistan is highly prone to earthquakes due to its location in one of the world's most active seismic zones, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge. The immense pressure from this collision causes the Earth's crust to crack and fold. In the Hindu Kush mountains, this process forces parts of the lithosphere deep into the mantle. The Pamir-Hindu Kush region in northern Afghanistan frequently experiences strong earthquakes, with some occurring at depths of up to 200 kilometres-a rare phenomenon globally.