A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region on Sunday, 25 October, sending tremors through Kabul and neighbouring provinces, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The centre first estimated the quake at magnitude 5.8 before downgrading it to 5.2, at a depth of 110km.

Where it was felt

The United States Geological Survey placed the quake about 59km south-west of Ashkasham in north-eastern Afghanistan, at 10.14pm Afghanistan time. Afghan news agency TOLOnews reported shaking in Kabul, Nangarhar and several neighbouring provinces, while tremors were also reported in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan region. There were no immediate reports of deaths, injuries or major structural damage, although information from remote communities remained limited.

Why the Hindu Kush shakes so often

The Hindu Kush is among the most seismically active regions in Central Asia, where the continuing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates generates frequent earthquakes across Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. The region has suffered several destructive quakes in recent years, exposing the vulnerability of rural communities where buildings and emergency infrastructure are limited.

Why depth matters

At 110km deep, this was a relatively deep quake, which usually spreads shaking over a wider area while reducing the worst damage near the epicentre. Authorities will keep assessing remote settlements in the coming days, since early “no damage” reports from mountain areas often change as more information arrives.