Kabul: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan late Sunday night, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Initial reports suggest that at least 250 people have lost their lives, while more than 500 others sustained injuries. Many of the injured are being treated in hospitals across Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.
Likewise, another earthquake of magnitude 4.2 hit Afghanistan again on Monday.
The quake’s epicenter was located near Jalalabad, at a depth of nearly 160 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface. The tremors were so strong that they were felt across the border in Pakistan, including cities like Islamabad and Abbottabad.
EQ of M: 4.2, On: 01/09/2025 08:29:56 IST, Lat: 34.49 N, Long: 70.77 E, Depth: 22 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/gZmpcenLkp— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) September 1, 2025
Residents reported multiple aftershocks following the main tremor, with magnitudes ranging between 4.3 and 5.0, adding to public fear and hampering rescue efforts.
This disaster comes less than a year after Afghanistan witnessed one of its worst tragedies. In October 2023, a massive quake claimed thousands of lives—with Taliban authorities citing nearly 4,000 deaths, while the UN estimates put the toll at about 1,500.
Experts note that Afghanistan lies along the Hindu Kush seismic belt, a region prone to frequent and high-intensity earthquakes due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. This geological setting continues to place the country among the most vulnerable to seismic hazards.
Authorities and aid agencies have begun relief operations in the affected areas, but the extent of damage to infrastructure and homes is still being assessed.
