Two Moderate Earthquakes Rattle Afghanistan Hours Apart on Saturday

Both quakes originated at intermediate depths typical of the seismically active Hindu Kush.

Overview

Late on March 21, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck at 22:43:49 IST at 36.167 N, 70.850 E with a depth of 82 km, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
Earlier that morning, a magnitude 4.5 tremor was recorded at 07:31:50 IST at 34.942 N, 70.070 E at a depth of 130 km, the NCS reported.
The NCS posted both event details on X, providing official confirmation of times, locations and depths.
Both quakes fall into the USGS-defined intermediate-depth range, which generally produces weaker surface shaking than shallow events.
Initial reports from outlets citing officials noted no immediate major damage or casualties, though agencies highlight Afghanistan’s high seismic exposure and limited disaster resilience.