Strong 6.2-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan; Tremors Rippling Across North India and Pakistan

New Delhi: A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan on Saturday evening. It struck at 7:04 pm. The epicenter was in the Hindu Kush region, 81 kilometers from Kalafgan in northeastern Afghanistan. The quake went 215 kilometers deep. That depth is significant. Deep earthquakes do less damage on the surface. But this one was felt far and wide.

How many regions tremors reached?

Tremors reached Pakistan and northwest India. It also reached China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. The quake was strong but no one reported deaths or damage yet.

How much panic in Swat?

People in Pakistan's Swat district ran out of their homes. They were scared. A resident spoke to the media that the tremors were strong. They lasted a long time. Women and children were crying. People gathered outside and feared aftershocks.

Are deep quakes do less damage?

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake is classified as strong. It can cause serious damage but the depth and location also matters. Along with that, the quality of construction also one of the major factor. This one was 215 kilometers deep. That means less damage at ground level as the energy spreads out. 

More earthquakes in the region?

This is not the only one. The region had been shaked earlier as well on June 27, a 3.2 magnitude quake hit Himachal Pradesh. It was in Chamba district. Depth was just 5 kilometers and the epicenter was 22 kilometers north-northwest of Dharamshala. It was low intensity so no damage had been reported. Pakistan got four earthquakes in the last 24 hours. The strongest was 5.5 magnitude. It hit at 8:36 am on Saturday. The recent one was in Balochistan, that the depth was 40 kilometers.

How much damage had been reported?

None of the quakes caused reported deaths and none caused damage. The region is used to earthquakes. The area sits on active fault lines. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre confirmed all four quakes in Pakistan.

Why so many quakes?

The Hindu Kush region is active. The Himalayas andPakistan Balochistan are also active. These are areas where tectonic plates meet and move. Earthquakes happen here regularly. But he most cause no damage and some do. Everything depends on depth, location and building strength.