5.8-Magnitude Earthquake Kills Eight in Afghanistan, Tremors Felt Regionally
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of eight members of a single family and injured a child in the Gosfand Dara area of Kabul province. The earthquake's epicenter was located in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, with tremors felt across Afghanistan, parts of India, and Pakistan.
Devastating Impact in Kabul Province
The earthquake struck at 8:42 PM local time (16:12 GMT) on Friday. Tragically, eight members of a single family died when their home collapsed in Gosfand Dara, Kabul province.
Eight members of a single family were tragically killed when their home collapsed in Gosfand Dara, Kabul province, leaving a two-year-old boy as the sole survivor.
A two-year-old boy was the sole survivor from the household and sustained injuries. The fatalities were confirmed by Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman, and Afghanistan’s disaster management agency reported the boy's injury.
Earthquake Specifications
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported the earthquake's epicenter in the northeastern province of Badakhshan. The quake occurred at a depth of 186 kilometers (115 miles). Kabul, the capital, is situated approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of the epicenter.
Regional Tremors and Initial Reports
Strong tremors were experienced across various parts of Afghanistan, including Kabul. The quake was also felt in the Indian capital of New Delhi, and in several Pakistani cities such as Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, and Shangla.
No immediate reports of injuries or damage were received from areas closer to the epicenter or from Pakistan and India. Information relay from remote Badakhshan province to Kabul can often take several hours, impacting the speed of initial damage assessments.
Afghanistan's Seismic Vulnerability
Afghanistan is frequently affected by earthquakes due to its geographical location along the Hindu Kush mountain range, near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. On average, 560 people die annually in earthquakes in the country.
A magnitude 6 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan last August resulted in at least 2,200 deaths, primarily in Kunar province. In that region, residences are typically constructed from wood and mud-brick, contributing significantly to their vulnerability. Afghanistan, an impoverished nation, often faces immense challenges in responding to natural disasters, particularly in its remote regions where many homes are constructed with bricks, wood, and mud.