A powerful earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon at 12:17 pm IST, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor’s epicentre was located at 36.10°N latitude and 71.20°E longitude, at a depth of 130 kilometres. Tremors from the quake were felt across northern India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the Delhi-NCR region. The quake also jolted parts of Pakistan, shaking cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi, as well as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.#WATCH | An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale hit Afghanistan at 12:17 PM (IST); tremors also felt in parts of Jammu and KashmirA local in Srinagar says, “…I felt the tremor. I was in the office when my chair shook…” pic.twitter.com/JvEAuoeoTk— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025 The NCS confirmed the seismic activity on social media platform X, stating: “EQ of M: 5.8, On: 19/04/2025 12:17:53 IST, Lat: 36.10 N, Long: 71.20 E, Depth: 130 Km, Location: Afghanistan.” No immediate reports of casualties or structural damage have emerged from the affected areas, but authorities in the region are closely monitoring the situation. This earthquake comes just days after a 5.6-magnitude tremor was recorded in Afghanistan on Wednesday, with the epicentre located around 164 km east of Baghlan. On the same day, a minor earthquake measuring 2.4 magnitude was also felt in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir. Afghanistan lies along the seismically active boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the country is highly prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, and floods. The Red Cross has noted that regions like the Hindu Kush experience frequent and intense geological activity. Experts warn that such tremors continue to pose a major risk to vulnerable communities already struggling with long-term conflict and underdevelopment.
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