A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan, with its epicenter located at Latitude 36.38 and Longitude 70.77, at a depth of 181 km, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The earthquake occurred on a Saturday late evening around 9:30 pm, resulting in tremors felt in parts of Delhi-NCR, Jammu and Kashmir, and on the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The epicenter was situated in the Hindu Kush Region of Afghanistan, as reported by earthquake.usgs.gov. The tremors were felt in various locations, including Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri, Srinagar, Gulmarg, and the Katra region, which serves as the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Cities in Pakistan, such as Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar, also experienced the earthquake.
Residents were in a state of panic and rushed out of their homes following the tremor. Fortunately, there have been no reports of damages or casualties so far.
The NCS tweeted details about the earthquake, mentioning its magnitude, time of occurrence, and location. This event marked the third earthquake to hit Jammu and Kashmir on that particular Saturday. Earlier in the day, the region was struck by earthquakes in Pakistan and the Hindu Kush region, measuring 5.2 magnitude and 4.3 magnitude, respectively, without causing any significant damage or injuries.
Afghanistan, particularly the Hindu Kush mountain range, is prone to earthquakes due to its proximity to the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. Furthermore, an earthquake of 4.3 magnitude also occurred in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the early hours of Thursday, according to NCS reports.