Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan, Third Tremor in November

Kabul: An earthquake measuring 4.6 magnitude struck Afghanistan in the early hours of Thursday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor occurred at 2:20 AM IST at a depth of 140 kilometers, with its epicenter located at latitude 36.43°N and longitude 71.20°E.

This is the third earthquake to hit Afghanistan in November, underscoring the country’s high seismic vulnerability. The region has been experiencing frequent tremors due to its location on multiple active fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide.

Earlier, on November 8, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan at a depth of 180 kilometers, while a powerful 6.3 magnitude quake on November 4 devastated northern parts of the country. That quake killed at least 27 people and injured nearly 956 others, also causing significant structural damage, including to one of Afghanistan’s historic mosques near Mazar-i-Sharif.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan remains one of the most disaster-prone nations, frequently affected by earthquakes, landslides, and floods. The Hindu Kush Mountain range, which runs through much of northern Afghanistan, is among the most seismically active zones in the world.

Decades of conflict, economic hardship, and underdeveloped infrastructure have left Afghan communities highly vulnerable to such natural disasters. Experts warn that the country’s limited emergency response capacity makes even moderate earthquakes potentially devastating.

As the seismic activity continues, humanitarian organizations have urged greater investment in disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure to reduce loss of life and property in future quakes.