Deep 5.8 Quake Jolts Hindu Kush, Killing 8 in Kabul

Overview

• The earthquake registered magnitude 5.8 with an epicenter about 150 kilometers east of Kunduz in the Hindu Kush at a depth near 180 kilometers, according to EMSC and the USGS.
• Shaking was widely felt across Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, and Shangla, and Reuters witnesses reported tremors in New Delhi.
• Local reports indicated at least eight deaths in Kabul as initial casualty figures surfaced.
• Afghanistan’s Health Ministry said Kabul and provincial health authorities were placed on alert.
• The region experiences frequent damaging quakes, which have killed thousands in recent years, harmed historic sites such as the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, and exposed the vulnerability of mudbrick and wood homes in rural areas.