Fresh Earthquake Jolts Afghanistan, Tremors Felt in Jammu Kashmir

SRINAGAR: A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Afghanistan late Thursday evening, with tremors widely reported across the region, including neighbouring countries such as India and Pakistan. According to data from international earthquake monitoring agencies, the quake occurred at 22:26 IST (16:56 UTC), with its epicentre at latitude 34.58°N, longitude 70.66°E, and a depth of 160 km. There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage outside Afghanistan, but the event added to public anxiety as the region continues to reel from recent seismic disasters.

This latest quake follows a catastrophic sequence of earthquakes that have battered Afghanistan over the past few days. According to Reuters, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck Kunar and Nangarhar provinces on Sunday resulted in at least 2,200 deaths and more than 3,600 injuries, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region in decades. Entire villages were flattened, thousands of homes destroyed, and widespread landslides impeded rescue operations.

Aftershocks—including a 5.2-magnitude tremor on Tuesday—have further disrupted humanitarian efforts and left many survivors living in the open without adequate shelter, food, or medical care. Aid agencies, including the UN, warn that the humanitarian crisis is worsening rapidly, with over a million people in urgent need and vital infrastructure severely damaged.

Rescue teams continue to recover bodies from the rubble, but difficult terrain, blocked roads, and limited resources have hampered operations. The Taliban authorities and international relief organisations have urged the global community to provide increased support to address the massive scale of destruction and displacement.