Earthquake of 4.2 magnitude jolts Afghanistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], March 2 (ANI): An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 jolted Afghanistan on Sunday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.
As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 140km.
In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.2, On: 02/03/2025 14:31:15 IST, Lat: 36.44 N, Long: 69.95 E, Depth: 140 Km, Location: Afghanistan."

EQ of M: 4.2, On: 02/03/2025 14:31:15 IST, Lat: 36.44 N, Long: 69.95 E, Depth: 140 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) March 2, 2025

On February 23, an earthquake struck Afghanistan at a depth of 120km.
In a post on X, the NCS stated, "EQ of M: 4.6, On: 23/02/2025 17:11:54 IST, Lat: 36.35 N, Long: 70.62 E, Depth: 120 Km, Location: Afghanistan."

EQ of M: 4.6, On: 23/02/2025 17:11:54 IST, Lat: 36.35 N, Long: 70.62 E, Depth: 120 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 23, 2025

On February 22, the region was struck with another earthquake of magnitude 4.2.
"EQ of M: 4.2, On: 22/02/2025 04:33:34 IST, Lat: 36.44 N, Long: 70.90 E, Depth: 150 Km, Location: Afghanistan," NCS statement said.

EQ of M: 4.5, On: 22/02/2025 04:20:01 IST, Lat: 36.21 N, Long: 71.22 E, Depth: 100 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 21, 2025

On February 18, two earthquakes of 4.6 magnitude and 4.3 magnitude struck Afghanistan.
"EQ of M: 4.6, On: 18/02/2025 11:33:18 IST, Lat: 36.57 N, Long: 71.36 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Afghanistan," as per NCS.

EQ of M: 4.6, On: 18/02/2025 11:33:18 IST, Lat: 36.57 N, Long: 71.36 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 18, 2025

"EQ of M: 4.3, On: 18/02/2025 03:37:19 IST, Lat: 36.52 N, Long: 71.10 E, Depth: 180 Km, Location: Afghanistan," the NCS stated.

EQ of M: 4.3, On: 18/02/2025 03:37:19 IST, Lat: 36.52 N, Long: 71.10 E, Depth: 180 Km, Location: Afghanistan.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 17, 2025

Shallow earthquakes like this one are more dangerous than deeper ones due to their greater energy release closer to the Earth's surface, causing stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties, compared to deeper earthquakes which lose energy as they travel to the surface.
As per the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including seasonal flooding, landslides and earthquakes.
These frequent earthquakes in Afghanistan cause damage to vulnerable communities, which are already grappling with decades of conflict and under-development and have left them with little resilience to cope with multiple simultaneous shocks, UNOCHA noted.
Afghanistan has a history of powerful earthquakes, with the Hindu Kush Mountain range being a geologically active area where quakes occur every year, as per the Red Cross.
Afghanistan sits on numerous fault lines between the Indian and the Eurasian tectonic plates, with a fault line also running directly through Herat. (ANI)