A strong earthquake struck Afghanistan and Pakistan early Friday morning, shaking wide areas of both countries and triggering panic among residents, though no casualties or damage were immediately reported.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at dawn on Friday, December 19. The quake was felt at 5:39 am Bangladesh time, Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported.
The epicentre of the earthquake was located approximately 61 kilometres from the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres below the surface. Despite the intensity of the tremor, authorities said there were no immediate reports of loss of life or structural damage in Afghanistan.
The earthquake was also felt across parts of Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Residents in several areas, including Dir and Chitral, were seen rushing out of homes and buildings in fear as the ground shook. However, Pakistani authorities also confirmed that no casualties had been reported there.
Officials noted that the epicentral region remains seismically active due to ongoing tectonic plate movements. Pakistan’s disaster management authorities advised the public to remain alert in case of aftershocks following the earthquake.
The region has experienced several deadly earthquakes in recent months. Last month, a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck multiple provinces in northern Afghanistan, including Balkh, Samangan, Sar-e-Pol, Baghlan and Kunduz, killing at least 27 people and injuring 956 others.
Earlier in August, another devastating earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring nearly 4,000. That earthquake left Kunar province reduced to rubble, marking one of the deadliest seismic disasters in the country in recent years.
